Ministry
of Petroleum may soon approve the use of jetty and mega
fuel depot belonging to an indigenous company, Masters Energy
Oil & Gas Limited, in Port Harcourt, Rivers State for
storage of petroleum products.
The Jetty inaugurated
in July 2009 by the Federal Government’s Delegation
led by Minister of State for Petroleum, Mr. Odein Ajumogobia,
has the capacity to berth 10,000 metric tones (MT) contrary
to 4,000MT capacity being speculated by some marketing companies.
The depot also has the capacity to store 60,000MT of Premium
Motor Spirit (PMS), 30,000MT of Automotives Gas Oil (AGO),
10,000MT of Dual Purpose Kerosene, 10,000MT of Aviation
Turbine Kerosene, 10,000MT of Low Pour Fuel Oil (LPFO) and
28,00MT of other petrochemicals.A senior official of the
Ministry of Petroleum Resources disclosed that the Federal
Government has concluded plans to use the jetty and depot
so as to ensure smooth and adequate distribution of petroleum
products to the South- South, South -East, North -West,
and North -East.
He said an inspection of the depot conducted
by officials of the Pipeline and Products Marketing Company
(PPMC), a subsidiary of the NNPC countered the insinuation
by some depot owners in Lagos that it will be difficult
for large vessel to berth at the jetty even though peace
has returned to Rivers State owing to the amnesty granted
repentant militants by the Federal Government.
“The Ministry is ready to provide
necessary support for the use of the depot by the NNPC so
as to stop petroleum marketers from selling PMS at N150
per liter in Port Harcourt, reduce traffic congestion at
Apapa in Lagos State and diversion of fuel to neighboring
Countries.” he said.
The official explained that the NNPC
has no reason for not using the jetty of Masters Energy
since it is the only facility having the capacity to store
fuel that will be sufficient for 10 days consumption by
the entire South-South, North-Central and North-East of
Nigeria.
He said, “This is the first time
that large facility capable of providing gainful employment
for over 2000 youths would be established in the Niger Delta
by an indigenous firm. We have no reason to abandon this
project financed solely by a Nigerian without any form of
assistance from foreign institutions and it will help to
encourage resourceful Nigerians to engage repentant youths
in the Niger Delta.”
“The Ministry has the duty
to take decision that will also help to improve distribution
of fuel, reduce stress on Lagos roads, and improve the lifespan
of Lagos- Ibadan and Lagos- Benin express roads by granting
approval to depots outside Lagos as facility for fuel distribution
by the NNPC.”
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Ajumogobia
had during the inauguration of the jetty and depot last
year assured that the Federal Government would ensure that
the NNPC and other marketing companies make use of the facility
so as to ensure that petroleum marketers continue to sell
PMS at the official price in the South East and other parts
of the country.
He also called on other stakeholders
to support the investment made by the company so that
other investors would be encouraged to establish similar
projects in the Niger Delta.
Leaders of Ijaw Youths Council also
assured the Federal Government’s delegation during
the inauguration ceremony of the jetty and depot that
adequate security would be provided for vessels bringing
petroleum products to the facility.
Investigations at the NNPC Head office
in Abuja revealed that the facility is on the list of
jetties and depots considered as useful for fuel distribution
to boost supply nationwide.
However, a senior official of the NNPC
blamed pressure on the management by depot owners based
in Lagos State to concentrate on Lagos for fuel distribution.
He said the depot owners and their
consultants have stated categorically that it will be
unsafe to use depots in the Niger Delta for fuel distribution
even though peace has returned to the region. “We
hope that the support of the ministry in the case of Masters
Energy will enable NNPC to grant approval to use the largest
energy facility in the sub-Saharan Africa since we are
not interested in the politics of the marketers,”
he added.
Masters Energy City integrated logistics
centre stands as a centre for the distribution of petroleum
products to the Eastern and Northern parts of the country.
It is a major centre for fuelling and refueling of vessels
for logistics operations. It acts as a major stop over
point for vessel moving deep offshore and the Gulf of
Guinea. The depot is strategically located outside the
existing pipeline network of NNPC/PPMC to ensure uninterrupted
product supply to theses regions of the country and to
provide world class storage and off-loading services to
both government and the general public.
President of the company, Mr.
Uchechukwu Ogah, disclosed recently that the company has
continued with dredging so that the jetty will be able
to berth four vessels of 40,000MT capacity at the same
time. “Our facility will create additional 20,000
jobs for the youths, if we receive the approval of the
NNPC to use our jetty and depot and it will serve as a
major boost to patronage by petroleum marketer in the
distribution of petroleum product from the Niger Delta”,
he said.
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