LOADING OF FUEL AT ABA DEPOT RESUMES AFTER SIXTEEN YEARS SUSPENSION

Loading of petroleum products from the Aba NNPC Depot which was suspended about 16 years ago will resume next week, even as over twelve million liters of products are said to be awaiting distribution
at the depot, the Authority has authoritatively gathered.

Unabated vandalism of  pipelines that traverse the Port Harcourt -Enugu stretch covering about 209 kilometres has led to the closure of the depot and UTM Offshore Ltd , the company said to be contracted for the security and maintenance of the said pipeline route said they have addressed the problem, effectively, even as pumping of petroleum products to the depot have been on for some time now.

Executive Director of UPM Offshore Ltd, Mr Kennedy Azodeh disclosed that his company had sealed about 1000 points oil thieves broke the pipeline to illegally draw petroleum products, assuring that the PH - Aba lines are very safe now,  "but pumping from Aba - Enugu would be effected soon when logistics are
made available".

Thrilled by the latest development, Chairman of the Aba Depot, Independent Petroleum Marketers Association ( IPMAN ), Prince Bobby Dick revealed that owing to the anticipated loading from the depot in the coming week, sellers of petroleum products have started reducing the prices at which they were selling
above government authorized pump prices.

Dick also commended UTM Offshore for effectively protecting and
maintaining the pipeline route with the collaboration of Security
Operatives which has ensured safety of the pipelines just as he tasked
NNPC to sustain the loading tempo when it begins next week while
charging the designated Task Force to monitor the loaded tankers to
ensure that the   diversion  of the loaded product to places order
than their designated areas is prevented.