LAGOS APRIL 4TH (URHOBOTODAY)-The Independent Petroleum Markerters Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) has expressed worry over non-production of petrol at the Warri and Port-Harcourt Refineries months after the announcement of completion of rehabilitation of the two refineries just as it called on the Federal Government to give the newly appointed Board of the Nigeria National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) “free hand to work”.

Speaking with The FocalPoint Reports at the Warri Refining and Petrochemical Company (WRPC) complex on Wednesday, the Delta State  Chairman of IPMAN, Comrade Harry Omojevwe Okenini lamented that “since the commissioning of the newly rehabilitated Warri Refinery on January 5, 2025, up till now, the Refinery has not given IPMAN any green light to load petrol from the complex”.

“Not a single supply of petrol has been lifted by IPMAN from this place (Warri Refinery) since then”, he stated.

He added that “the place is totally dry, after the January commissioning; nothing is happening”.

The IPMAN boss spoke further, “NNPCL will only use vessel to bring oil to the Depot here and load from here.  For the past nine months they have not given IPMAN a little of product.

“As we marketers cannot just stay idle, we decided to source for product from the private Depot’s. And these private Depots owners, today they will increase price; tomorrow they will increase.  So, the whole thing has caused problems for the business. Business has already gone.  We don’t know what to do again.

“Also, Dangote Refinery that has been giving us relief before has stopped giving us products following directive that the company be buying crude oil in dollars”.

The IPMAN Chairman urged the newly appointed Group Managing Director of the NNPCL to “take the development in the oil industry as a challenge so that Warri and Port-Harcourt Refineries will start effecting full loading of their products”.

He said, “We don’t know whether the new team will make things work.

“If the Government allows this new team to work, the team, from all I know is a combination of tested technocrats.  The new GMD is from Shell; the next in command is from Total; and the third is from Seplat.

“But will the President allow them to work?  The President is the Minister of Petroleum.

“My message is that Government should give the team free hand to work.  If the Government gives them free hand, we are hopeful that things will get better soonest”.

Focal Point

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