Independent marketers allege fraud at PPMC

Vanguard

13 May 2011

Independent marketers allege fraud at PPMC

WARRI-THE  puzzle surrounding the sudden scarcity of kerosene and diesel in Delta state is being unveiled by the recent fire explosion in which gutted three Islands of the Pipeline and Product Marketing Company, PPMC, in Warri, Delta State.

A paid advert by the Niger Delta Peace Coalition, NDPC, and complaints from stakeholders alleged fraudulent activities at PPMC.

This came on the heels of allegations making the round that funds meant for the maintenance of the depot are allegedly being pocketed by its authority, thus leaving the depot in a state of anomie.

An Independent Marketer told Vanguard that two tankers which were on queue had scratched each other and the resultant sparks burst into flame, causing two deaths and huge damage to the loading bay on Monday.

Although authorities say they are investigating the cause of the fire which led to the death of two persons, and caused huge damage to three islands in the depot, sources, however, alleged yesterday that the cause of the Monday petrol fire was connected with apparent negligence and failure of the management to commit the funds allocated for its maintenance to proper use.

It was also gathered that a massive ‘petrol product fraud’ in the PPMC, a section of the Warri Refinery and Petrochemical Company, WRPC, allegedly, was the root cause of the fire at the loading unit of the depot.

An operator narrated yesterday that about 12 months ago, a truck carrying diesel also fell because of deplorable state of road in the depot.

“If it were petrol, it would have caused a disaster,” the source added.

A reliable source, who confided in our correspondent yesterday, alleged that authorities of the PPMC had connived with operators of NNPC mega 1 filling stations in the ‘diversion scam’ which had rocked the PPMC depot prior to the fire on Monday.

The source said that about 20 trucks of diesel (AGO) and Dual Purpose Kerosene (DPK) loaded at the PPMC unit in Warri everyday were allegedly diverted by operators of the NNPC Mega 1 who had special allocations at the depot.