Laide Raheem, Abeokuta
Members of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN), Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG), Petroleum Tanker Drivers (PTD), NNPC Depot, Mosimi branch in Ogun State, have issued a seven-day ultimatum to the Federal Government to begin rehabilitation of Sagamu-Mosimi NNPC Depot-Ikorodu Road.
The petroleum and gas workers, who issued the ultimatum yesterday, during a protest over what they described as “deplorable state of an important commercial road,” threatened to shut down operations at the depot, if the Federal Government fails to yield to their demand within the stipulated time.
Carrying placards bearing various inscriptions, the protesters lamented that the road, which had been in bad shape for over 15 years, had impacted negatively on their businesses.
They also noted that property, petroleum products worth several millions of naira and lives had been lost as a result of the bad road.
Addressing newsmen, IPMAN Chairman, Mosimi Depot Unit, Femi Adelaja, knocked the Federal Government for its empty promises to fix the road.
Describing Sagamu-Mosimi-Ikorodu Road as a backup to Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, Adelaja, said marketers were already abandoning the NNPC depot at Mosimi, noting drastic measures must been taken to address the situation before it degenerates into fuel scarcity in Ogun and other adjoining states.
Also, Independent Marketers Branch (IMB Chairman of NUPENG in the depot, Olasunkanmi Sodipo, said the road was critical to the economy and demanded urgent attention from the Federal Government.
He called on the Federal Government to hand over the road to the Ogun State government to reconstruct and maintain, declaring his members would not mind to pay if the road is tolled after rehabilitation.
PTD Chairman, Ganiyu Adurogangan, expressed disappointment over the Federal Government’s lethargic approach towards the rehabilitation of the depot road.