The Rivers State Commissioner for Energy and Natural Resources, Hon. Okey Amadi, has warned the newly inaugurated Petroleum Product Monitoring Committee against abetting products diversion or indulging in bribery.
Hon. Amadi gave the warning while inaugurating 160 able members of the committee in his office in Port Harcourt.
The Hon. Commissioner who noted that the aim of setting the monitoring committee was due to the economic challenges facing people of the state as well as the nation with respect to the petroleum resources sector, said it is a desire of a responsive government to provide basic infrastructure that would alleviate the recurrent hardship.
He noted that the nation is yet to recover from the devastating effect of the strike action by the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, and its associates, early this year, adding that it is the Rivers state government’s dream to build a world class modular refinery in partnership with private sector which will soon take place.
According to him, “With this inauguration, you have become ambassadors of the state. The government and people of Rivers state are strongly behind you, and you cannot afford to disappoint them. I will at this point remind you all that this assignment is not a profit making venture but a call to service of the state.”
He said the state government would not hesitate to dismiss at any point, any members of the committee who indulges in any act capable of painting the committee in bad light and derailing the good intention of government.
The former lawmaker of the State Assembly recalled that in the past, some appointees tried to influence the committee officials for posting to points of their choice, stressing that the present administration will not tolerate such act of indiscipline and selfishness and advised them to accept in good faith wherever they are posted as the routine would be revisited periodically. He assured that the ministry which is the parent body would provide the logistic requirements of the committee to enable it meet its set targets, urging them to remain committed and collective to build an economically vibrant state whose legacy would stand the test of time.
Commenting on if the NLC has the power to monitor the petroleum products, he said it does not have the power to monitor petroleum products, stressing that any act of such by the NLC is illegal, rather it is only the ministry of Energy and National Resources that could monitor petroleum products.
The Etche born former lawmaker urged the committee members to ensure that they monitor filling stations to know the sale of their products as well as know if they are complying with the state government directive and report any sharp practices or diversion of petroleum products to other sister states of the nation.
Mr. Gogo Fiberesima the chairman of the petroleum monitoring committee in his responss charged the members of the committee to be committed in their new assignment.
Mr. Fiberesima who noted that their work was not business as usual said he would enforce discipline on anyone found guilty of any crime and promised to provide them with identification card and logistics to enable them work effectively.
In his vote of thank Mr. Sunny Wokekoro the permanent secretary of the ministry advised the committee members not to see their work as an avenue to enrich themselves, rather it is a call to serve and advised them to be committed in their work. ### ###
Emeka Jilly Ejiowhor
