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IPMAN Urges S’East NASS Caucus Intervention to Revive Aba, Enugu Depots 

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The Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN), Aba Depot, has appealed to the South-East National Assembly (NASS) Caucus to wade into the protracted crisis that paralysed operations at the Aba and Enugu depots.

The Chairman of the association, Mr Oliver Okolo, made the appeal in an interview in Aba on Tuesday.

Okolo said that business activities at the NNPC Aba depot came to a standstill about two years ago and rendered the facility moribund.

He spoke extensively on the poor state of the depot and the economic consequences on IPMAN members and other anciliary businesses.

He said that at least 2,000 direct and indirect businesses that usually took place daily at the depot had all closed down.

According to him, at a time the depot was functioning at about 40 per cent capacity, it supported many ancillary businesses, aside from marketers.

He said that at least 200 trucks usually loaded products at the depot daily, hence engaging not less than 600 truck drivers with their two support persons.

“There were also scores of vendors in food and assorted wares, including water and drinks, amongst other businesses that were sustained by the depot.

“All these have shut down,” he said, adding that the depot and it’s environs as well as the IPMAN Secretariat had been overgrown with bushes and taken over by flood water.

Okolo also said that the equipment at the 45-year-old depot, including loading amps, storage tanks and pumping machines, had long become obsolete and dysfunctional due to age.

He said that the facility needed a total overhaul and that the machines required total replacement with state-of-the-art equipment for greater efficiency.

The IPMAN chieftain also identified the deplorable state of the only road leading to the depot from Osisioma Junction, off the Enugu-Port Harcourt Expressway, as another major setback to the operations at the depot.

“The road got so dilapidated that trucks, cars and tricycles could not pass through to the depot,” he said.

According to him, the marketers pooled personal funds, purchased 40 trucks of 30 tons of hard cores, which were poured on the road as palliative to make it passable.

He said that aside from their personal efforts, the association sought the intervention of former Gov. Okezie Ikpeazu, who later awarded the road for rehabilitation.

He said that the project later stalled after the Federal Government allegedly directed the state to hands off because it is a federal road.

“The situation became worse after the State Government’s contractor removed the hard core yet the Federal Government’s contractor did not mobilise to site.

“For us, it was an irony that the Federal Government could not do the road, after it allegedly ordered Ikpeazu to stop work,” Okolo said.

He said that the association later approached NNPC Limited to come to its rescue, “since the company is reputed to be building roads in other places”, to no avail.

He said that the prevailing poor road condition to the Aba depot was also being experienced at the Enugu depot.

“So, we see the situation as part of the marginalisation of the South-East.

“We, thetefore, appeal to our political office holders, especially  the South-East NASS Caucus to intervene and take up the problem in the two NNPC depots in the zone with the Presidency.

“It is an irony that Abia, which is an oil-producing state, cannot have petroleum products, causing marketers to travel to Port Harcourt, Lagos, Calabar and other areas in search of products,” Okolo said.

He urged the lawmakers to demand that the vandalised pipelines from Port Harcourt to Aba be replaced with new ones to ensure that products were pumped to the Aba and Enugu depots via the pipelines.

“It is possible and doable and it will save us the cost of transporting products by road as well as the huge damage that trucks suffer on the road everyday.

“The Federal Government can lay new pipelines from Port Harcourt to Aba, which is barely 56km-long in the first phase and later extend it to Enugu depot.

Meanwhile, the Federal Controller of Works in Abia, Mr Tony Onwubiko, has dispelled the allegation that the Federal Government abandoned the road leading to the depot.

Onwubiko admitted that most road projects in the country suffered major setback largely due to the lack of funding from the Federal Government.

“The road to the Aba deport is being done by us.

“The contractor is Rodo Construction and the job is now funded by NNPC.

“The contract is going on from the Ekeakpara end, though it is slow because the contractor applied for augmentation,” Onwubiko said.

He said that the project could not make any progress “until NNPC stepped in, took over and paid for it.

He cited the Aba-Ikot Ekpene Dual Carriageway, which also stopped due to the lack of funds until NNPC paid N4.8 billion before work resumed last year.

The federal controller also blamed the sharp increase in the prices of petrol, asphalt per square metre and other materials, following the subsidy removal, for the stoppage of work on many projects in the country.

He also said that the Federal Government’s policy shifting the payment of compensation for lands acquired for road expansion to the states did not help the situation

He said that “the states are not paying the compensation”.

Onwubiko assured the marketers that the road would be completed in no distant time now that it is funded by NNPC. (NAN)

NEWS

NGEP Urges Gas Reticulation In Buildings

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By Olasunkanmi Onifade

Abuja, April 29, 2025 The National Gas Expansion Programme (NGEP) has called on stakeholders to promote the integration of gas reticulation systems in estates, districts, and industrial areas, following best practices seen in developed countries.

Chairman of NGEP, Prof.

Mohammed Ibrahim, made the call on Tuesday during the Builders’ Conference and Annual General Meeting of the Nigerian Institute of Building (NIOB), FCT Chapter, in Abuja.

The conference, themed “Gas Reticulation in Building: Design, Safety, Environmental Compliance and Prospects for Builders,” focused on enhancing energy infrastructure in Nigeria’s built environment.

Ibrahim noted that with Nigeria’s vast natural gas reserves, gas reticulation offered a sustainable solution to improve energy accessibility, affordability, and reliability in homes and businesses.

“Gas reticulation in buildings presents a compelling pathway to a more sustainable, efficient, and resilient built environment.

“By prioritising sound design principles and ensuring strict adherence to safety and environmental standards, we can unlock the full potential of natural gas to drive progress,” he said.

He highlighted the key benefits of gas reticulation, including energy efficiency, cost effectiveness, versatility, and reliability.

Also speaking, the Chairman of the Council of Registered Builders of Nigeria, Samson Opaluwah, stressed the importance of capacity building for safe and efficient gas distribution.

He said this involved training engineers, technicians, and other professionals in system design, installation, and maintenance, while also strengthening regulatory frameworks and encouraging local innovation and manufacturing.

The Chairman of NIOB, FCT Chapter, Usman Okehi, emphasised the growing need to incorporate gas systems in residential, commercial, and industrial developments across Nigeria due to rising energy demands and gas availability.

According to him, with this advancement comes the need for strict adherence to design standards, rigorous safety protocols, and full environmental compliance.

“It is our responsibility as professionals and regulators to ensure these systems are functional, safe, and environmentally sound,” Okehi said.

He described the conference as a platform where stakeholders could explore the evolving landscape of gas infrastructure in building projects, share best practices, examine safety and environmental considerations, and assess future opportunities for builders in the sector.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Nigerian Institute of Building is the professional body for builders in Nigeria. It traces its origins to the Builders’ Society, established in London in 1834.

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Oil & Gas

FG Inaugurates Committee to Enhance Gas Distribution in Urban Buildings

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The Ministry of Petroleum Resources has inaugurated a Technical Working Group to enhance gas reticulation practices in Nigeria’s building industry.

The ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Amb. Nicholas Ella inaugurated the Technical Working Group (TWG) between the National Gas Expansion Programme (NGEP) and the Council of Registered Builders of Nigeria (CORBON) on Wednesday.

Reports= says that reticulation refers to the process of creating a network of pipes or tubes to distribute gas or other utilities to buildings or industrial sites.

The permanent secretary restated the importance of creating energy smart cities, saying that modern urban development relies on efficient gas and utility distribution systems,

“Most modern cities in developed countries have evolved to energy smart cities where energy, specifically gas and other utilities are piped to districts and estates.

“However, one of the key tools in creating energy smart city is the National Building
Code which, in essence, sets the guidelines on Building Pre-design, designs, construction and post-construction stages,” he said.

The permanent secretary reiterated the benefits of reticulated gas systems for households and businesses alike, adding that it ensured metered supply akin to water and electricity,

According to him, it eliminates the need for cumbersome refills, and also enhances safety by burying pipes and incorporating advanced safety equipments.

“The TWG is tasked with designing a comprehensive policy to implement best practices for gas reticulation using LPG, PNG, and Bio-Gas across Nigeria’s building sector.

“Key responsibilities include reviewing the current National Building Code, examining global gas distribution systems, and proposing quality standards for materials used in gas installations,” he said.

The permanent secretary emphasised the need for rigorous safety protocols and guidelines to ensure the efficient and safe use of gas in construction.

He urged the group to prioritise environmental sustainability in its recommendations, adding that the group is expected to submit its report by Nov. 15.

Earlier, Mr Samson Opaliwah, the Chairman of CORBON. expressed the council’s commitment to collaborate with the group to ensure safe uptake of gas for use in houses and housing estates in Nigeria.

“I assure you of the williness of CORBON to leverage the expertise and resources at her disposal to ensure that steps are put in place for gas infrastructure in buildings and estates.

“The gas infrastructure will be safe, sustainable and world-class.

” Our collective efforts will yield clear, standardised guidelines for safe and effective gas systems in buildings, matched with a skilled workforce to meet growing demands in Nigeria,” he said. (NAN)

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Oil & Gas

Utilise Oil, Gas Industry Report as Tool for Public Debate – NEITI

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The Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI) has urged stakeholders to utilise its 2022/2023 oil and gas report for civic engagement, constructive dialogue, and public debate.

Executive Secretary of NEITI, Dr Orji Ogbonnaya Orji, made the call at the report’s public presentation on Thursday in Abuja.

The report was unveiled by Mr Ola Olukoyede, Chairman, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), alongside Sen.

George Akume, Secretary to the Government of the Federation and Chairman, NSWG, NEITI and other dignitaries.

Orji emphasised the report’s significance in guiding policy, encouraging public debate, and improving governance in natural resource management.

He highlighted the report’s comprehensive data on revenues, governance structures, operations, and compliance within the oil and gas sector.

Speaking at the public presentation of the report, Akume reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to transparency principles.

Olukoyede pledged to investigate the report’s findings and recommendations, noting that NEITI’s previous reports led to the recovery of over N1 billion.

The report is available on NEITI’s website, providing valuable insights into the sector’s performance and challenges.

The presentation was attended by Chairmen of National Assembly Committees, captains of industries, members of diplomatic missions, development partners, civil society organisations and the media. (NAN)

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