By Sam Akanimo
Except Governor Umo Eno of Akwa Ibom State takes a swift and drastic step, petroleum products will be out of reach for citizens and industries in the state if the aggrieved Natural Oil and Gas Suppliers Association of Nigeria (NOGASA), carries out its threat to discontinue the supply of petroleum products to the state because of unbearable extortion.
NOGASA’s Chairman in the state, Sam Osung, gave the threat in a press statement on Thursday.
Osung is alleging that the extortion is on a daily basis. According to him, the ‘tax collectors’ keep on Impounding their trucks with products along the Ikot Abasi axis of the East-West Highway, and along Calabar-Itu Road.
NOGASA said it received seven complaints in a day from suppliers last week whose products were kept on the road till the next day.
“The public should know who to be held responsible if there is any event that will inconvenience products supply in Akwa Ibom”, the association said.
Its chairman condemned what he described as “unethical happenings” in the petroleum downstream supply and distribution chain especially in Akwa Ibom.
Recalling, he said on April 23, 2024, Governor Eno held a solution based meeting with selected stakeholders and resolved that all group should put their activities on hold as he was going to set up a committee to look into the root cause of the artificially created fuel scarcity that culminated into petroleum products hoarding, price hike as a result of retail outlets closure in Akwa Ibom.
NOGASA said it has been adhering since with the resolve of the meeting with Governor Eno.
Osung, however, explains that there are different marketers in the downstream such as Major Oil Marketers Association of Nigeria, Depot and Petroleum Products Marketers Association of Nigeria, Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria, Natural Oil and Gas Suppliers Association of Nigeria, and related Associations such as Petroleum Products retail outlets owners Association of Nigeria, among others.
Continuing, he said NOGASA members are suppliers of all kinds of industrial hydrocarbon inclusive of aviation turbine, kerosene, marine diesel oil, marine gas oil, naphtha, automotive gas oil, dual purpose kerosene, petrochemical oil (black oil) bitumen, blue oil, Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG), Compressed Natural Gas (CNG), crude oil premium motor spirit, etc.
Adding, he said NOGASA members, supply products to factories, industries, telecommunication mass, construction companies, oil companies and every major end-users of petroleum products across the country.
“We buy from depot and pay all trip levies including that of PTD branch of NUPENG across all depot in Nigeria. It is strange having PTD branch of NUPENG impound our trucks in Akwa Ibom and demanding for N50,000 from us,
“it is strange as this is not happening in any other state in the country except Akwa Ibom. We pay our levies at the depot, PTD don’t collect levies on the road, we wonder why Akwa Ibom is the Banana island for our tanker drivers
“The prompt intervention of the government and the security agencies is crucial as this may have far-reaching consequences
“The suppliers are seriously considering cutting off supplies to Akwa Ibom, that will mean that the telecommunication Mass, construction Companies, factories, industries may be denied supply if this extortion by the PTD is not addressed”, the association says.
“Akwa Ibom is a safe place for legitimate businesses and we believe that the state government will not humor any individual, group of persons and even organisation who’s activities can characterize the reputation of the state”, it adds.
