The Independent Oil Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) has commended the Federal Government for the rehabilitation of Ikorodu-Shagamu road linking the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation’s (NNPC) depot in Mosimi .
Alhaji Debo Ahmed, IPMAN Chairman, Western Zone, gave the commendation while speaking in Lagos recently.
Ahmed said the rehabilitation of the deplorable road became neccessary to save marketers from losing billions of naira to frequent accidents by petroleum tankers due to the bad state of the road.
The Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Mr Babatunde Fashola, who inaugurated the project on May 21, said that it was in fulfillment of the Federal Government’s promise to improve road infrastructure nationwide.
The 30.4 kilometre road is a major access road for trucks and tankers evacuating petroleum products from NNPC depot in Mosimi.
The project was awarded to Arab Contractors and is expected to be completed in 36 months at the cost of N20 billion.
Ahmed said the road, which had outlived its service lifespan, was currently riddled with several failed sections, which would be filled for commuters to have easy movement during the period of construction.
According to him, the road will serve as an alternative route during traffic congestion and relieve the ever busy Lagos-Ibadan Expressway.
“It will also lead to reduction in vehicle operating costs, travel time, road accidents and loss of lives,” he said.
Ahmed said the commencement of work on the road had brought to an end tanker drivers’ apprehension while plying the bad road.
“We (marketers) are deeply excited because the completion of this project will improve our petroleum distribution network to cities within Lagos and other states.
“The road is strategic and will boost business for industries in the axis and create employment opportunities,” he said.
He urged the government to also repair other deplorable roads that lead to depots in the south-west to enhance effective product distribution and curb frequent damage to tankers.
According to him, there is need to urgently rehabilitate the Ore and Ilorin depots to ease petroleum distribution within that axis.
He said the rehabilitation would reduce the stress and additional cost marketers go through to load products in the depot.
He said the Ilorin and Ore depots, which had the capacity to store 27 million litres of petroleum products, had been in deplorable state in the last eight years.
Discussion about this post