Onuesoke Advises FG to Use N621.2bn NNPC Tax Liabilities for Rehabilitation of Storage Tank Farms

Sylvester Idowu in Warri
The Chairman and Managing Director of DAS Energy Services, Chief Sunny Onuesoke has advised the federal government to direct the usage of the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) tax liabilities put at N621.2 billion for the rehabilitation of the dilapidated storage tank farms across the country.

He said, instead of using the fund for rehabilitation of roads in assuaging the protests by oil tanker drivers over the deplorable state of roads, the money could be used to revive the 21 NNPC tank farms across the nation.

“I appeal to the federal government to use the N621.2 billion for the rehabilitation of the dilapidated 21 NNPC’s storage tanks farms across the country instead of using it for the construction of roads,” he pleaded.

Onesoke, who gave the advice yesterday, while addressing journalists at the Osubi Airport, however noted that the rehabilitation of all the moribund storage tank farms was necessary to address the loading and transportation challenges encountered by marketers.

The former governorship aspirant in Delta State on the platform of People’s Democratic Party (PDP) however noted that it would be more beneficial if the money was used for the rehabilitation of the 21 storage tank farms across the country instead of using it to rehabilitate and maintain bad roads.

According to him, “The twenty one storage tank farm depots that are receiving supply directly from the NNPC are closed to the people. They are located in different parts of the country.

“If the tanks are rehabilitated, there will be no need of tankers supplying fuel from Lagos to Zamfara by roads. Tankers in Zamfara will go to tank farms closer to them in the north to get their products. So it will be with other areas. In this case, fuel will be less expensive to transport, it will save time and costs,” he said.

He said although the federal government had already made up its decision for the approval of the fund for the rehabilitation and maintenance of roads, the government could still change its decision after proper analysis of the benefits of the suggestions.

“My decision for the federal government to divert the fund to rehabilitation of tank farms depot became more necessary when multi nationals like Dangote Group, MTN, Mainstreet Energy, LNG have already contributed substantial funds for the construction, rehabilitation and maintenance of roads across the country. Must all the funds from the multi nationals be used for construction of roads only?” he queried.