NNPC Osisioma Depot: Abia partners PENGASSAN to boost Product supply

The Abia State government has expressed its readiness to partner with the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) in ensuring optimal functioning of the Osisioma Depot of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC).

Governor Okezie Ikpeazu, when he received in audience the executive and members of PENGASSAN who were on a courtesy visit at Government House Umuahia, stated that Osisioma NNPC depot was strategic to the economy of the Southeast and South-south State.

Ikpeazu lamented the persistent scarcity of some petroleum products such as kerosene and diesel at the Aba Depot and its attendant effects on the people particularly in Abia and neighbouring states, the depot serves, stressing that the need for adequate supply of petroleum products to depot cannot be overemphasized.

Represented by his Deputy, Sir Ude Oko Chukwu, the governor said that to ensure optimal functioning of the depot, the state government was prepared to collaborate with the association to achieve the objective. 

Oko Chukwu who informed the audience that the creation of Ministry of Home Land Security was to guarantee adequate protection of lives and property and stated that the government of the Okezie Ikpeazu led administration was keen in making sure that commercial and business activities thrive in the state.

This is even as he added that the recent distribution of security patrol vehicles with modern communication gadgets was to enhance the operation of security agencies and quicken their response time to crime scene.

He further assured that the state governor would continue to attract investors and as well, sustained the promotion of Made in Aba, Abia and Nigeria products by encouraging adequate patronage as well encourage artisans and SMEs owners to sustain the high quality of their products to meet international standards.

He noted that the Enyimba Economic City’s location in the three oil producing communities of Ukwa East, Ukwa West and Ugwunagbo was a bold step to develop the areas into a super industrial and modern city.

According to the Deputy Governor, the project was in line with the government’s five cardinal pillars of building a new Abia based on areas of its comparative advantage in agriculture, trade and commerce, oil and gas, education among others.

He equally assured that government would continue to embark on massive rehabilitation and construction of roads leading to economic, commercial and agrarian communities in Aba and the state at large and pledged the state government’s support to the plan of PENGASSAN to build E-learning and event centre in the state.

Earlier in his speech, the PENGASSAN President Mr. Nduka Ohaeri had lauded governor Okezie Ikpeazu efforts in making the state safe and peaceful, encouraging the patronage of Made in Aba goods, revamping of the Golden Guinea brewery among others.

Ohaeri urged the government to pay more attention on road maintenance, waste management, welfare of workers as well as in making the oil producing areas of Ukwa, modern cities.

The leader of the delegation further stated that they were in the state to collaborate with the state government on ways of addressing challenges in oil and gas.

He appealed to the state government to assist them in the construction of a befitting E-learning Library Center for research on oil and gas geared at providing employment and generating revenue for the state and nation at large.