NATURAL Oil and Gas Suppliers Association of Nigeria (NOGASA), has announced the commencement of operations, promising to contribute to the creation of a smooth and enabling environment for petroleum products supply and distribution nationwide.
Speaking in Abuja, to mark the nationwide launch of the association, National President of NOGASA, Mr Benneth Korie, said the group had set up zonal offices across the country, with the latest being the inauguration of the Kano zone. He noted that NOGASA would ensure quality service in all its activities and reinforce ethical standards in the industry.
He said, “Our principal aim and objective is to reinforce the ethical standards of the industry. Most Nigerians would agree with us that natural oil and gas is critical in the development of this nation. We have come to do the needful – to protect our businesses and the end-users from the criminal practices of dishonest operators in the system. Those sharp practices, particularly dealing in adulterated products, have done a great deal of damage to end users and this is hurting our businesses as well.”
Korie called on the Federal Government to create an enabling environment that would encourage marketers and suppliers of petroleum products to unite, noting that this would make it easier for government to interface and have easy access to suppliers of the commodities.
He noted that NOGASA had officially commenced operations nationwide and as part of its operations, it would be deploying representatives to depots across the country and would also have state and industrial sub-chairmen, adding: “We are now inviting all bona fide suppliers to register for membership with is as all hands must be on deck to successfully carry out our tasks in this win-win endeavour.”
Korie insisted that the association would only source products from oil depots across the country that are duly licensed by the Department of Petroleum Resources, DPR. He said: “As employers of labour, we want to see our business grow to employ more Nigerians. To reduce adulterated products, all our members are hereby advised to desist from patronising the products of vandalised pipelines, if any.”
“All our members are advised to patronize government and private depots only. Furthermore, there will be regular workshops for our members to update them with government policies in the petroleum sector.”
