Mkpoikana Udoma 20 May 2014, Sweetcrude, Port Harcourt – Following the explosion which claimed over seven lives at the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, jetty in Okrika, Rivers State on Sunday, the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria, PENGASSAN, has called on the Federal Government to launch an investigation into the explosion.
PENGASSAN’S National Public Relation Officer, Mohammed Seyi Gambo in his reaction to the explosion said a thorough investigation would unravel the real cause of the explosion to forestall future occurrence.
He also frowned at the alleged oil theft by vandals from the pipelines close to the NNPC jetty under the watchful eyes of security agencies at the jetty.
“it is so unfortunate that for years now, PENGASSAN has brought to the forefront the issue of petrol theft and illegal oil bunkering and little or nothing has been done about them,” he said.
The PENGASSAN spokesman also alleged conspiracy by security agents and officials of the NNPC in this regard while calling on the Federal Government to take action against these acts of economy sabotage.
According to him, “The report we also got (on the explosion) is that there is a conspiracy to make sure things are swept under the carpet, and we are calling on the Federal Government to rise up because this is economy sabotage. This is also an embarrassment to the government of today with all the security issues that have befallen us.
“Information reaching us is that there is a cartel in these facilities from the security to the officials of these facilities. I am also aware that the media has been barred from going there so that thorough investigations will not be done and they will be able to clean up the whole act” he said.
