NNPC mega filling stations located in the riverine area of Delta State

By Brisibe Perez
Although the Department for Petroleum Resources (DPR) has setup a task force to checkmate the monopolizing tendency of marketers of petroleum products in selling the product within the Federal Government pegged price, the riverine communities especially in Delta State seems to be oblivious of the task force as petrol currently sells for N200-N250 which is an average of 150% more than the FG approved pump price.
In its stride to curb and regulate the activities of marketers, the DPR asked Nigerians to report any fuel station that sells petroleum products above the FG regulated price but contrary to this, despite the presence of the NNPC Floating Mega Stations for the past three years which has never had a single drop of petroleum product for sale, residents of riverine communities in the State are accustomed to buying petrol at the “official” price of N200-N250.
On the reason why the NNPC Floating Mega Stations have not started operation despite its presence in the area for the past three years, an indigene of Ojobo in Burutu Local Government Area of Delta State, Mr. Zuokumor Pere said, the project for the commencement for the building of the NNPC Floating Mega Stations in the riverine communities in the State started during the late President Yar’Adua administration. The area surveyed for the project includes, Burutu which is the headquarters for Burutu Local Government Area, Ojobo, Ekrankoko amongst other communities in the area, unfortunately, the ones for Burutu and Ekrankoko was established pending the one for Ojobo community when President Yar’Adua died.
“With the emergency of President Goodluck Jonathan coupled with the appointment of Diezani Alison-Madueke as Minister for Petroleum, we felt the project would be completed but the reverse was the case. I personally have sent messages and called the Minister herself to draw her attention to the plight of the people in the riverine area but none of my messages have been replied while calls are not answered.
A youth leader in the community, Mr. Jude Angodideke while lamenting the non-functional state of the NNPC Floating Mega Stations said, “The NNPC Mega Station is presently like a picture to us here. It is just here in the middle of the river like a government monument for the past three years without it being of use. Nigerians in the upland region are lamenting that they are buying fuel within the range of N110-N120, comparing this to the amount we buy here; you will discover that the amount that the product is being sold in the upland is like a free price in comparison to the riverine communities.”
Speaking to one of the facilitators of the project, Mr. Fred Brisibe, he said, “The NNPC Floating Mega Stations was initiated by Tamaratare Brisibe, former Member representing Burutu Federal Constituency at the House of Representative while he was the Chairman, Committee of Petroleum Resources (Downstream) at the House to alleviate the challenges of buying petroleum products by the people of the riverine communities.
“I personally worked with the NNPC engineers, soil men and the surveyors on the establishment of the Mega Stations which was followed by its approval by the Delta State governor, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan through the then SA to the governor on Oil and Gas, Barr. Ekerekuso. So till date, I wonder why it still hasn’t commenced operation, but a couple of weeks ago, I learnt that the management of the Burutu NNPC Floating Mega Station has been given to a contractor to handle in the person of Mrs. Carolyn Asari-Dokubo who is also from Burutu LGA.
On why the station was contracted to a private individual to manage, Mr. Brisibe attributed it to the inability of the Federal Government to man its facilities in the riverine areas, hence the need for a private contractor who is conversant with the security challenges of the area.
When contacted on phone, as to why the stations are yet to commence operation, one of the NNPC Engineers who worked in the establishment of the Stations simply identified as Engr. Lawrence said, “These facilities are government owned and the delay is attributed to government logistics. The government must get who would run the facilities and modalities for payment must be concluded before commencement of operations. Work will soon commence on all the Stations as personnel recently went to the stations to clean them up,” he said.
Until then, the people of the riverine communities would continue to buy petrol within the selling price of N200-N250.