Yemisi Izuora
The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) has restated its commitment to the sustenance of the present seamless supply and distribution of petroleum products across the country.
Group Managing Director of the corporation, Dr. Maikanti Baru, made this commitment during the NNPC Special Day at the 30th Enugu International Trade Fair.
Dr. Baru assured that the present zero queues in the country would be sustained, especially as Easter approaches, adding that no fewer than 55 depots across the country were fully stocked with petrol.
He explained that 23 depots in Lagos, seven in Port Harcourt, 11 in Warri, six in Calabar and eight in Kaduna, were stocked with petrol.
Dr. Baru who was represented by the Chief Operating Officer, Refineries and Petrochemicals, Engr. Anibo Kragha, said that the ongoing rehabilitation of the nation’s refineries was aimed at reducing importation of petroleum products and demand for foreign exchange in the country.
He noted that the theme of the fair, “Promoting and Enhancing Value Addition in the Oil and Non-oil Economy for Robust Economic Development”, was in sync with NNPC’s vision of adding value to the nation’s hydrocarbon resources for the benefit of all Nigerians.
The GMD stated that as Industry leader, the major focus of the corporation was “value addition in all our activities”, which he said had helped to ensure maximum benefit to all its stakeholders.
He reiterated the need to protect the corporation’s facilities, especially the pipelines, saying the corporation recorded 257 vandalised points in December 2018 alone, with Ibadan- Ilorin axis accounting for 34 per cent of the total.
In his welcome address, President of the Enugu Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture, Sir Emeka Udeze, commended the NNPC for the stability in the supply and distribution of petroleum products in the country and its consistency in participating at the annual event.
He advised the management of the corporation not to allow a re-occurrence of the problems that hitherto affected the smooth operations of the downstream petroleum sector.