…Inaugurate new executives council
Kunle Kalejaye 23 March 2015, Sweetcrude, Lagos – Warring factions in Liquefied Petroleum Gas Retailers Association of Nigerian, LPGRAN, have resolved their long-standing differences, leading to first ever inauguration of its recognised national executives council.
The two warring factions are the Nigeria Domestic Gas Retailer and Materials, NDGRM, and Liquefied Petroleum Gas Retailers Association of Nigerian.
With the inauguration of the new executives, the office of the National Coordinator of NDGRM occupied by Comrade David Okenwa now merges with LPGRAN.
The swearing-in ceremony of the new executives was anchored by the Lagos Zonal Chairman of the National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers, NUPENG, Comrade Tokunbo Korodo at the national headquarters of NUPENG in Lagos.
Korodo urged the new executives to work for the unity and progress of the association and for the economic growth of the country.
NUPENG’s Deputy National Secretary, Operations, Comrade Ogbebor Joseph, reminded gas retailers in the country of their economic importance in regards to availability, distribution and accessibility of cooking gas, noting that any internal wrangle in the association will cripple the LPG sector and the economy at large.
He therefore urged the new executives to forge issues that will unite the association and consult with all members by carrying them along on all decisions taken to move the union forward.
At the end of the peaceful inauguration, 16 members of the executive council were sworn-in, including the National Chairman, Comrade Chika Michael Umudo.
Other members of the council are Deputy Chairman (1), Comrade Ogbuke Chijioke; Deputy Chairman (2), Comrade Mohammed Omede; Vice Chairman, Comrade Musa Ibrahim Mekudi; Secretary, Comrade Nwatu Monday; Assistant Secretary, Comrade Kayode Solomon; Treasurer, Comrade Agbo Philips; Trustee Comrade Tunde Omoarevbokha; Financial Secretary, Comrade James Ikhelia.
Others are Public Relation Officer, Comrade Yerowo Onosigbo; Product Inspection Officer, Comrade Ifeanyichukwu Okoli; Auditor (1), Comrade James Adetayo; Auditor (2), Comrade Okafor Chukwujekwu; Chief Whip, Comrade Uchenna Otoegbu; Assistant Chief Whip, Comrade Okwudili Nnamani and Welfare Officer, Comrade David Ariyo.
In his acceptance speech, the new National Chairman, Michael Umudo, said the LPG retailing sub-sector of Nigeria’s oil and gas industry is now united and vowed “never to part again”.
He explained that it took about 30 peace and reconciliation meetings to unite and move the association forward, including the intervention of the Lagos State Commissioner of Energy and Mineral Resources.
According to Umudo, it also took the strong warning from Lagos Zonal Controller at the Department of Petroleum Resources, DPR, Mrs Ngozi Njoku, which eventually led to the signing of unification agreement on 23 February, 2015 by the two factions.
The new national chairman presented a five-point agenda tagged ‘priority of the executive’ and topping the list of the agenda is proper organisation of all LPG retailers units, state chapters and zones.
Other agenda for the executives include safety of its members, customers and the general public; public enlightenment; media participation; stakeholders participation including government at all levels and government agencies; and adherence to industry standard as outlined by DPR, Standard Organisation of Nigeria, among others.