NIPCO Creates Dept To Oversee Filling Stations

In a bid to ensure that customers get value for their
purchases at retail outlets the management of NIPCO has created a unit in the
company to oversee activities at its filling stations across the country.

Speaking to newsmen recently Mr. Venkataraman Venkatapathy,
NIPCO’s managing director said the essence of the unit is to ensure that no
sharp practice is carried out in any of its filling stations.

He said: “A department was set up in October last year to
monitor activities at the stations, to ensure that caliberation are properly
done and right pump price and right practices is always maintained”.

Venkatapathy, who spoke on other activities of the company
slated for this year, confirmed, that it has not been easy for the down stream
sector of the petroleum industry especially last year.

He said: “Since the past two years, the industry has been
undergoing challenges. Last year was particularly a difficult year because the
industry is going through transformation and I must say that the government
meant good and doesn’t have any negative intention”.

He noted that NIPCO had been stable and stronger because it
applies world best practices in its operations.

He highlighted some of the projects the company plans to
accomplish this year to include expansion of its compressed natural gas (CNG)
for fuel programme. The first CNG programme approval given to the company as
Benin but it has got approval to extend the programme beyond Benin.

Venkapathy, however, noted that the areas that should
benefit from the expansion is still being kept secret and would be made known
to the public in two months.

He also said the company will increase its retail outlets
this year as well as its Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) retail outlets. He said
company plans to increase its LPG retail outlets from six to 20 this year,
adding that it has the largest LPG retail outlets in Abuja.

The company is also setting up LPG plans in Yola and
Abeokuta and looking at getting up one in the east but the eastern plant
arrangement hasn’t be concluded, the NIPCO boss said.

NIPCO has been in the forefront of campaign for increased
consumption of LPG (cooking gas) in Nigeria. Ventapathy had at a Summit held in
Abuja, said his company supported the meetings and Summits as part of its
conscious initiative of deepening the LPG market through a well-articulated
policy for the benefit of stakeholders.