The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) disclosed yesterday that has strengthened its partnership with oil marketers under the umbrella of Major Marketers Association of Nigeria (MOMAN) to ensure seamless supply of petroleum products across the country.
It explained in a statement from its Group General Manager, Public Affairs, Mr. Ndu Ughamadu, that the agreement to reinforce the trade relationship between it and the oil marketers was reached at a retreat held in Abuja by members of MOMAN.
The statement said NNPC’s Group Managing Director, Dr. Maikanti Baru, said the corporation, as the supplier of last resort, would continue to strengthen its relations with MOMAN to avoid any product supply gap.
Baru appreciated MOMAN for being a dependable ally in the supply and distribution of petroleum products nationwide, and noted that the marketers were a force to be reckoned with in the country’s downstream petroleum sector.
He added that other players in the sector like the NNPC Retail Limited were not in competition with MOMAN.
“We maintain good relations with MOMAN which have helped to ensure that there is products availability nationwide during the last Yuletide and the just concluded election period.
“MOMAN is living up to our expectation as partners. NNPC is ready to escalate whatever recommendations the association comes up with at the end of its retreat to appropriate authorities,” said Baru.
He stated that the Petroleum Industry Governance Bill (PIGB), when finally passed, would further strengthen and boost the business operations of MOMAN across the country, and that the workshop would help it brace up for the imminent reforms in the oil industry.
Baru, also urged MOMAN to always keep its contractual obligations to the NNPC, adding that remittances from it often go into the Federation Accounts Allocation Committee (FAAC) to service the needs of the various tiers of government.
The statement also quoted the chairman of MOMAN, Mr. Tunji Oyebanji, to have assured the corporation of its commitment, saying it was a dependable ally to NNPC in the supply and distribution of petroleum products.
Oyebanji, pledged MOMAN’s continued collaboration with NNPC, and disclosed that it was repositioning for future changes in the industry.
He said: “We have an outstanding relationship with NNPC and its downstream subsidiary, the Petroleum Products Marketing Company (PPMC). We will continue to improve on the relationships to take the downstream sector of the oil and gas industry to enviable heights.”
