Edith CHUKU
Worried by the state of the Port Harcourt Refinery and its devastating effect on businesses in Rivers State, the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria IPMAN, has called for the immediate completion of the revamping work on the Refinery.
IPMAN made this call at the Port Harcourt Depot Unit‘s 2023 Annual General Meeting/Election AGM, in Port Harcourt, on Wednesday.
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The body emphasized on the need for the Federal Government to quickly complete the ongoing revamping work on the Refinery.
Addressing journalists shortly after he was elected chairman of the association, Mr. Tekena ThankGod Ikpaki, stressed that the non-functionality of the refinery has pushed many of its members out of business.
Ikpaki, while assuring that his administration would ensure better leadership of the body, vehemently condemned the state of the Refinery and appealed that the facility be completed and put into use.
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He complained that the delay was affecting businesses in the area.
According to him, “We will bring in new ideas into the leadership of the body. We were elected to manage the activities of IPMAN. We want to make a difference.
“It is our sole duty to make sure that everybody is satisfied even if man’s desires are insatiable. We will try our best to ensure that products that will come from the refinery when it is completed get to our members and then it gets to our communities.”
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Ikpaki lamented that, “The non-functionality of the refinery has crippled a lot of businesses and a lot of people have gone out of business. People who cannot sustain themselves with the little that is available to them.
“Goods and services as we know move from one part of the country to another is transportation and this works with the petroleumducts. The dilapidation of the refinery has affected the movement of goods and services.”
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Meanwhile, the Zonal Chairman, System 2E of IPMAN, Prince Bobby-Ibekwe, has expressed optimism that the Port Harcourt Refinery would commence full operation in early 2024.
Bobby-Ibekwe also charged the newly elected executive of the body to ensure that members get products to sell when the Port Harcourt Refinery commence operation.
He challenged the Port Harcourt Unit executive of IPMAN to ensure the protection of the interest of IPMAN and members of the public in other to reduce the suffering experienced by the people occasioned by harsh economic conduction.
