Mr Andrew Yakubu, the Group Managing Director of the NNPC has appealed to host communities with oil and gas pipelines to ensure their adequate protection from vandals.
This is contained in a statement signed by the Group General Manager, Public Affairs Division, NNPC, Mr Fidel Pepple on Tuesday in Abuja.
It stated that Yakubu made the plea at the commissioning ceremony of the Pipelines and Products Marketing Depot in Osisioma, near Aba in Abia.
“I call on Abia people, especially Aba youths, to be guardian angels to secure the pipeline and depot facility.
“You should all be security-conscious and ensure that the depot remains open to drive the local economy,” the statement quoted Yakubu as saying.
The NNPC chief executive said he would focus on the rehabilitation of vital downstream infrastructure.
He said such would make petroleum products available everywhere in the country.
Yakubu also stressed the need to construct critical gas infrastructure to make gas available for power generation.
He said such a measure would help to revive industrialisation not only in Aba but also in other parts of the country.
The GMD commended all stakeholders in the sector including the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) and traditional rulers for providing logistics for securing the 58 km-long pipeline from Port Harcourt to Aba.
The statement also stated that Gov. Theodore Orji of Abia asked the host community to be vigilant and report suspicious movements around the pipelines.
Mr Haruna Momoh, Managing Director of the Pipelines and Products Marketing Company (PPMC) said the company was committed to the rehabilitation of the pipeline network and depots across the country.
He explained that a new metering system had been installed while a functional fire truck had also been deployed into the depot.
Momoh stated that 30 million litres of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) had already been pumped into the depot.