By CHARLES IWUOHA

The Ebonyi State Government has renewed its readiness towards maintaining a harmonious working relationship with the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) and other affiliate bodies operating in the state.

The Senior Special Assistant to Governor Nwifuru on Petroleum; Hon John Nnaemeka Nwafor, disclosed this when he graced the IPMAN Annual General Meeting (AGM) held yesterday at the Enugu State Secretariat of the Association. Hon Nnaemeka, while making his speech thanked the Association and lauded the oil sector players for their efforts to amicably resolve some issues while putting the overall interest of all stakeholders above personal interests.

Harping on the importance of the oil sector and the need for cooperation, Hon Nnaemeka posited, “I think the State Government is grateful for the hard work and harmony in the oil sector.

“The Nigerian economy is heavily dependent on oil, and any sneeze in the sector affects the entire nation, Ebonyi not excluded. It would have been very unreasonable for the State Government, to be the one to cause any problem in the oil sector.

“We crave for harmony in the oil sector because only through harmony, calm, and understanding among stakeholders can the government have the best. We know the role you play in terms of your contributions to the growth of the economy of the States of South-East in supply, taxes, and other revenue sources.

“We thank God that we are now on the same page. On the same page, we shall continue to drive the affairs of this Association and our dear states, using the oil sector to derive the best for the government, he averred.

Reassuring IPMAN of government support, the SSA remarked: “I am, on this day, on behalf of the government, conveying its position that the present administration under His Excellency Rt Hon Bldr Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru stands for peace, harmony, understanding, cooperation, and growth. No one man can do it alone. Not the government, not you. We must come together in synergy to get the best for our dear States.

“Therefore, I welcome you to this Annual General Meeting of IPMAN, wishing that going forward, the State Government – Anambra, Enugu and Ebonyi can work in partnership with the various stakeholders in the oil sector for the betterment of our dear states and nation at large; while reminding you of the Governor Nwifuru led administration’s ‘peoples charter of needs’ mantra. “Governor Francis Nwifuru is here to give Ndi Ebonyi and indeed the South East the best of leadership,” Hon Nnaemeka asserts.

Earlier in his remarks, the Chairman of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) Enugu Depot, Chief Chinedu Anyaso, used the opportunity to formally congratulate Governor Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru and his Deputy, Princess Patricia Obila, on their electoral victory, successful inauguration, and their landslide victory at the Supreme Court, as well as the Governor’s wise selection of one of their own, Hon Nnaemeka as the SSA on Petroleum. Chief Anyaso further appreciated and applauded Governor Nwifuru for his supports, love and the cordial relationship enjoyed between Ebonyi Government and IPMAN in Ebonyi State.

He enumerated the following areas where the Governor has been of help to them, which includes but not limited to: resolving out of Court Settlement arising from filling of Annual Tax returns through His Excellency Rt Hon Bldr Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru, granting IPMAN’s request to pay N100,000 as our Consolidated IGR instead of N200,000, approval and Provision of land for a Petroleum Tanker park, granting the IPMAN a slot in his Government by giving one of their own, SSA on Petroleum in Ebonyi State.

“These and more have tremendously improved the IPMAN’s relationship with Ebonyi State Government. He pledged their continued support and cooperation to Ebonyi State Government and its agencies.”

Chief Chinedu Anyaso further called on the South-East Governors and other Igbo leaders to intervene and engage the Federal Government on the urgent need to revitalise the long abandoned Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, in Emene, Enugu State.

Rising from the General Meeting of the Association and other affiliate unions under Enugu NNPC Depot, Anyaso said the Depot has been abandoned for over two decades, a situation, he said, has inflicted hardship on the people of the zone and beyond as they have to travel very far to lift petroleum products.

According to Anyaso, their resolve was to appeal to leaders of the South-East, especially the Governors, to intervene, so as to ameliorate the challenges facing stakeholders in the oil industry as a result of continued abandonment of the NNPC Enugu Depot by the Federal Government.

“IPMAN will soon write the South-East Governors Forum, SEGF, as well as National and State Assembly Caucuses from the zone to officially update them with the economic and investment losses, among others, resulting from the long disuse of Enugu NNPC,” Anyaso said.

Highlight of the meeting was the re-election of the leadership of the IPMAN.Chief Chinedu Anyaso was re-elected as Chairman, Chief Ndubuisi Nwokwu (NDUMORE OIL and GAS LTD) was re-elected as vice Chairman while Chief Nnaemeka Iloafor emerged as Secretary.

Messers Emeka Onyima, Obinna Njoku and Isaiah Mbah emerged as Treasurer, Financial Secretary and Public Relations Officer, respectively, amongst others.

•Chairman of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) Enugu Depot, Chief Chinedu Anyaso

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