THE Jetties and Petroleum Tank Farm Owners of Nigeria (JEPTFON) has urged the Federal Government of Nigeria to quickly resolve the lingering feud between the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) and Integrated Oil and Gas Limited or face shutting down of all its depots across the country.The association, in a press briefing in Lagos, on Tuesday, said that the invasion and forceful takeover of the depots and facilities of Integrated Oil and Gas Limited and Head Office by Army at the instigation of NIMASA, summoned an emergency meeting where the members deliberated extensively.Executive Secretary of the association, Enoch Kanawa, stated that the illegal and unlawful seizure of the depot and facilities of the company in total disregard to the safety and sensitive nature of such a humongous asset was totally condemned by the association.According to him, 'the association unanimously resolved that NIMASA did not vacate the illegal and criminal brigandage of its invasion of he depots and facilities of integrated Oil and Gas Limited including their head office within 24 hours, it shall have no choice than to close down all depots in the country.'We hope that Federal Government will not allow us to descend to this level where one of its agencies will disregard due process, civilized conduct and also the rule of law in a democratic governed nation state.'We also believe that the government will hit this warning, so that we do not go beyond the precarious situation we are experiencing today in-terms of the supply of the distribution of petroleum products.'We are aware that the only agency that can close depots is the Department of Petroleum (DPR) as they are the official regulator of the industry but for NIMASA that has to do with technical standard, policies, safety and others, we are surprised that they are the ones taking care of stolen products.'Kanawa said that the association also considered the fact that its members have been bleeding excessively as a result of the wishful and deliberate policy of the government to with hold subsidy reimbursements, viewed the latest onslaught on one of its own as a carefully scripted agenda by some persons in government so as to test the waters, sent the members and their employees out of business.'The question to ask is who made NIMASA the policeman of the industry' The same product was cleared by all relevant agencies of government such as DPR, Nigeria Port Authority (NPA) and the Nigerian Navy and Customs who are traditionally saddled with the responsibility of regulating the downstream but none did blink an eye except NIMASA.Officials of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) and armed forces personnel attached to the Global West Vessel Specialist Limited (GWVSL) had on Friday quizzed Ihenacho over allegation that his company received stolen petroleum products in its depot.Iheanacho, while denying any link or involvement by the company to the scourge of oil theft, added that the company have always established and operated with best tenets of corporate governance, having due regard to the requirement of honesty, integrity and accountability.
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