PPMC Loses N7.6bn To Pipeline Vandals

The Managing Director of

Pipeline and Petroleum Marketing Company (PPMC), Mr Haruna Momoh says the company has lost products worth N7.6 billion to pipeline vandals in the Port Harcourt – Aba segment since 2007.

Mr Momoh stated this at the re-opening of the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) depot in Osisioma, near Aba in Abia State last Monday.

He said that about 1053 vandalised points had to be repaired on the 54 kilometer pipeline from Aba to Enugu alone during the period, pointing out that marketers and consumers in the South-East zone and some parts of Akwa Ibom had suffered untold hardship because of the vandalized pipelines which forced the company to shut the depot.

Momoh commended the Minister of Petroleum resources, Mrs Diezani Allison-Madueke, Abia State Governor, Theodore Orji, Chief of Army Staff, Lt-Gen. Azubuike Ihejirika, National Assembly members from Abia State and other stakeholders for ensuring speedy re-opening of the 33-year-old depot.

In his speech Abia State Governor, Theodore Orji said that the State would continue to partner with the Federal Government to bring democracy dividends to the people.

According to the governor, the state is already enjoying the recently inaugurated power station that supplies electricity to Umuahia and its environs, saying that the partnership had ensured adequate security and returned normal business activities to Aba metropolis.

He commended President Goodluck Jonathan, National Assembly members from the state and all those who contributed to bring back the depot on stream.

“Thanks to the Federal Government for this partnership, the depot has remained the backbone of the state’s economy. It is a great relief from the NNPC, we appreciate what is happening today as life and business activities have returned to the state. We thank all those who have made it happen, he declared.

Orji assured that the executive would work with the State House of Assembly to enact a law making pipeline vandalism and other economic sabotage offences punishable by death and appealed to the citizens, especially the traditional rulers to help safeguard pipeline in their communities.

Group Managing Director of NNPC, Mr Andrew Yakubu, said there would be a major transformation of the critical downstream sector of the economy.

Said he: “While waiting for major transformation of the industry, the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) when passed into law promises a better future”, adding that the management of NNPC would focus on revamping the critical downstream sector, especially the rehabilitation of strategic depots like Aba depot and pipelines.

The Aba depot has a capacity for more than 133 million petroleum products including fuel, kerosene and diesel to serve Imo, Abia, Anambra States and some parts of Akwa Ibom State.

The depot serves as a link for product evacuation from Port Harcourt refinery through pipeline of about 54 km to transmit to Enugu Makurdi and Yola.

Shedie Okpara