20 May 2013, Calabar – The Independent Petroleum Marketers of Nigeria, IPMAN, has urged the Pipelines and Products Marketing Company, PPMC, to commence supply of kerosine to the Calabar depot so as to arrest the current scarcity of the product in Cross River and Akwa Ibom States.
The Calabar depot belongs to the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, and supplies petroleum products to Cross River and Akwa Ibom States as well as some states in the north-eastern part of the country.
Mr. Michael Udofia, chairman of IPMAN, the Calabar depot branch, said while PPMC had been supplying petrol and diesel to the depot, the facility was not being supplied kerosine, causing scarcity of the product in the area.
According to Udofia, most households in the two states have been forced to buy the product at exorbitant prices from dispensing centres that sourced their supplies from private depots.
But, he commended PPMC’s managing director, Prince Momoh Haruna, for ensuring that petrol and diesel were constantly supplied to the depot as he pleaded for supply of kerosene too to alleviate the sufferings of households in the area.
He said: “We have not had supply of kerosene for 11 years now. We therefore appeal to the management of PPMC to send DPK to Calabar depot.
“This call has become urgent because there is a strong law on felling of woods for domestic fuel in this area, so, the people are forced to buy the product at exorbitant prices.
“We had the same problem with PMS and AGO but the management of PPMC has responded to the other two products, so, we urge them to do same to DPK”.
Udofia expressed delight that the analogue dispensing metres at the depot had been replaced by a digital one by the management of PPMC, explaining that there were 10 new dispensing machines for products in the depot at present.
“All these have added to the efficiency with which the depot is giving out products,” he said.
According to the IPMAN chairman also, regular supply of petroel and diesel to the depot by the PPMC has contributed in reducing incidents of bunkering in the area.
He also hinted that the PPMC has awarded contracts for the renovation of the six storage tank farms in the depot, which, he said, will further boost the efficiency of products supply.