Rivers Indigenous Petroleum Products Marketers Association RIMOPPA has warned against any form of crisis in the state which it said can lead to disruption in the activities of the refinery.
The Association asked the state government to proactively intervene in the move being made by some people to instigate crisis in Port Harcourt Refinery Depot to forestall a situation where the depot would be plunged into crisis.
In a communiqué by the members of RIMOPPA at the end of its meeting, the Association said that the activities of some Independent Petroleum Markers in Port Harcourt Refinery Unit Depot are detrimental to peaceful resolution of issues at hand.
It said that the argument on the unit chairmanship of Independent Petroleum Markers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) in all depots is not contestable, as it is usually reserved for indigenous Markers which is the host state, adding that Port Harcourt Depot should not be an exception.
The Association said also that the petroleum products distribution and consumption impacts highly on the growth and stability of the economy of the catchment communities and the State in general, saying that Rivers State indigenes would continue to lead its Depot efficiently and effectively they said.
RIMOPPA debunked the idea that there is leadership tussle in Port Harcourt Refinery Depot, stressing that the Association recognized one indigenous Chairman, which is comrade Inimgba Emmanuel Okubowei who was elected as authentic Chairman of IPMAN Unit of Rivers extraction.
The communiqué said that RIMOPPA will resist any attempt “by the mindless Marketers who want to plunge Rivers State Depot and communities into unnecessary, warranted and needless crisis with respect to Port Harcourt unit of IPMAN leadership.”
It insisted that Petroleum Product Marketers in Port Harcourt Depot should adhere to peaceful and economy friendly activities in it activities, saying that any attempt to create crisis would lead to break down of law and order and economic sabotage, especially in Rivers State. [myad]
