From Okwe Obi, Abuja
Association of Tank Farm Oil and Gas Marketers of Nigeria (ATOGMAN), has claimed that Nigeria loses $1 billion annually to oil bunkering, theft and pipeline vandalism.
ATOGMAN’s National Chairman, Lawrence Kanu, stated this yesterday in a statement, commiserating with the Management and Staff of Matrix Energy Limited on the explosion of tank farm last week at Ifiekpo Community, Delta State.
According to eyewitnesses, the fire started during the loading process of petroleum at the tank farm at Ifiekporo, Ugbuwangue and parts of Edjeba communities in Warri.
Kanu, who advised the Federal Government to rehabilitate the Kaduna, Port Harcourt and Warri refineries, in order to tackle petroleum crisis, described fuel subsidy as a scam.
He also pleaded with government to issue licences to indigenous investors to establish modular refineries as a means of reducing fuel scarcity, economic sabotage.
“Let us try and be productive instead of depending on importation of petroleum products as the nation is losing 1billion dollars monthly to illegal bunkering, oil theft and pipeline vandalism.
“We are advising the federal government to rehabilitate the Kaduna, Port Harcourt Warri refineries.
“We also also advise government to remove petroleum subsidy because petroleum subsidy is a scam. Let us do our best to stop it,” he said.
He, however, commended the commandant General of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Ahmed Audi Abubakar for his efforts in fighting economic saboteurs in the country.