March 28, 2024

IPMAN sets petroleum industry targets for Governor Soludo

0

Oredola Adeola and agency reports

The Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) has urged Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, the new Governor of Anambra to use his administration to facilitate the establishment of functional petroleum depots, tank farms and refineries by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and other oil companies in the State.

 

Mr Chinedu Anyaso, Zonal Chairman of IPMAN, Enugu Depot Community in charge of Anambra, Ebonyi and Enugu States made this request in a congratulatory message addressed to the Governor in Awka on Friday following his inauguration as the sixth Governor of Anambra State.

 

The IPMAN Zonal Chairman in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) disclosed that these are some of the issues affecting operation in the zone.

 

While commending the Governor for proposing to work on the economy of the state by activating its internally generated revenue base and strengthening its fiscal regime, Anyaso said the exploration of oil in commercial quantities and recognition of Anambra as an oil-producing state provided an opportunity for Governor Soludo to grow the state’s oil sector.

 

The IPMAN chairman, however, said that the absence of a functional petroleum depot in the zone was posing a serious challenge to marketers in the area. Anyaso said marketers in the zone rely on Calabar, Warri and Lagos for products with attendant risk and additional costs.

 

He urged the governor to help address the challenges by using his position to influence the establishment of a tank farm or modular refinery to serve the area. “We are happy that Gov. Soludo in his inaugural address showed positive leadership, with his experience and reach, he has the capacity to help build the Southeast economy.

 

“IPMAN believes that it is an opportunity to develop the oil and gas sector of Anambra and the entire Southeast. “Right now, we don’t have a functional NNPC depot, tank farm, or refinery in the zone and all these are affecting our operation of sourcing materials.

 

“So we are hoping that with the oil exploration activities, Prof. Soludo in collaboration with his colleagues in the area will look in the direction of citing a tank farm or refinery in the state, this will not only ease our business but boost the economy,” he said.

 

Anyaso further revealed that the leadership of IPMAN was ready to have a conversation with the Governor on how to optimise opportunities in the sector.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *