The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, yesterday, said it as resumed loading of petroleum products from Oyo State, with the recommissioning of its depot in Ibadan. The NNPC in a statement in Abuja, said the re-commissioning was in fulfilment of the Presidential mandate of revamping the nation’s critical oil and gas infrastructure for the benefit of the citizenry.
Group Managing Director, Dr. Maikanti Kacalla Baru, who flagged off the resumption of loading operations at the Depot, also disclosed that rehabilitation work on the System 2E (Aba – Enugu) pipeline segment has been concluded, while efforts were underway to re-commission the remaining parts of the System 2B pipeline (Mosimi to Ore depot and from Ibadan to Ilorin depot). Baru said the NNPC had rehabilitated its System 2E (Port Harcourt to Aba), System 2D (Kaduna to Kano) and the Atlas Cove to Mosimi segment of the System 2B pipeline, which had led to the commissioning of Aba, Kano and Mosimi depots. He said, “Very soon, these depots will experience the impact of our collective resolve to get the critical infrastructure back on stream.
“It is one of the key mandates of the present administration to revamp these abandoned assets and put them back to work for the overall security and improvement of petroleum products supply and distribution for the benefit of all Nigerians.” He noted that Nigeria’s energy supply security is underpinned by a robust pipeline network of over 8000 kilometres (km) used for the transportation of crude oil, petroleum products and natural gas, of which NNPC has the largest downstream footprint with over 5,120km of pipeline network and 21 depots spread around the country.
He, however, expressed dismay that over the years, these critical national assets had become subject of incessant vandalism, theft and sabotage which result in huge loss of revenue, lives and property as well as serious damage to the environment.
“It is rather unfortunate that any time oil pipelines and associated facilities are vandalized, our ability to supply petroleum products to the nation is hampered, and the livelihood of many law abiding people negatively impacted,” he said.
Baru commended the Oyo State Government for its consistent support over the years, which has immensely contributed to safeguarding NNPC’s Pipeline Right of Way (PROW) that feeds the Ibadan Depot. In his response, Oyo State Governor, Senator Abiola Ajimobi, described the resumption of loading operations in the area as great development which would have a major impact on the socio-economic well-being of Oyo people and the entire South West region.
“Today, I am happy because the resuscitation of this depot has brought about a great impact on our economic value chain which will be seen in commerce, industry and employment generation for our people.” Ajimobi commended the NNPC boss, describing him as a reformer, transformer as well actualiser, who had been working tirelessly to achieve the Corporation’s objectives.
“Having worked in this place as Area Manager for National Oil back in the eighties, I can tell you that this is the first time in many years that a sitting GMD is giving these facilities the attention they so much deserved,” the Governor noted.
While assuring the GMD of his support towards securing NNPC’s Pipeline Right of Way (PROW) across the state, the Governor pledged to provide vehicles for security operatives patrolling pipelines within the state.
In their separate remarks, critical downstream stakeholders of Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN), Petroleum Tanker Drivers (PTD) and National Road Transport Owners (NARTO) all commended Baru for ensuring the re-streaming of numerous depots across the country which has led to the robust product supply and distribution across the country.
