A delegation from the Akwa Ibom State Petroleum Products Monitoring Committee, led by the chairman, Mr. Godwin Ekpo, last week paid a courtesy call on the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), Eket, and Virgin Forest Energy, Mbo.
Speaking at the familiarity visit, Ekpo appreciated the NMDPRA for their warm reception and solicited for partnership to curb the menace of non availability, diversion, adulteration and under dispensation of products in the petroleum sector.
Ekpo, who said the committee is committed to ensure that Akwa Ibomites are liberated from irregularities in the sector, assured of effective monitoring to ensure marketers lift products from approved depots.
Also speaking, the state chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress, Comrade Sunny James lamented alarming complains of adulterated petroleum products and lifting of products without getting to their destinations by marketers in Akwa Ibom State.
He called on the NMDPRA to step up awareness campaigns on their activities and partner the committee to solve challenges in the sector.
In his response, the state coordinator, Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), Mr. Ikechukwu Eseka, who said their doors are always open for partnership, welcomed the committee to their operational base.
Eseka explained that the non availability of petroleum products in the state are sometimes deliberate act from Petroleum Tanker Drivers (PTDs) and NUPENG, even as he promised to partner the committee to achieve it set goals.
At Virgin Forest Energy depot, Mbo, Mr. Godwin Ekpo appreciated them for building a tank farm in Mbo Local Government Area, which has added value to the community and appealed to them to partner the state government in selling petroleum products at a subsidize rate to marketers to enable them sell at a reduced rate for public consumption.
In his response, the facility manager, Mr. Victor Omote appreciated the committee for the visit and noted that Akwa Ibom State is a suitable place for business, promising to transmit the areas of collaboration to the management of the company for implementation.
He highlighted their challenges to include spending over N2 billion on dredging within the last few years due to low water capacity to carry their vessels and asked for a tax relief from the Akwa Ibom State government.
Present at the visit were members of the committee and representatives of the regulatory authority.
