Delta State Governor, Senator  Ifeanyi Okowa has called for necessary actions that would ensure regular supply and appropriate pricing of petroleum products to ease the suffering of Nigerians.

Governor Okowa made the call on Thursday at the commissioning of an ultra-modern filling station owned by North-West Petroleum and Gas Company Limited in Asaba.

The governor observed that it was unacceptable that most Nigerians buy kerosene above the official price, yet the product was not readily available, stating that any action which would ease the suffering of the masses would be welcomed, especially in Delta State.

“Our people have been finding it very difficult to get kerosene at the appropriate prices, so, we are very much interested in its regular supply at the right pricing,” Governor Okowa said, adding, “it is our hope and prayer that the kerosene will never be out of stock and we thank God that we are going to get it at the official price at this ultra-modern filling station; it has been an unlikely thing in the past few months to have kerosene at the appropriate prices and I believe that this will lead to greater competition and also drive other filling stations to try to keep their prices at the price that has been stipulated by the authorities.”

While commending the management of North-West Petroleum and Gas Company Limited for its interest in establishing ultra-modern filling stations in the state, Governor Okowa urged the company to take advantage of the availability of crude oil and gas in the state to establish modular refineries, assuring that his administration was ready to facilitate acquisition of land for such investment.

“We would rather want a modular refinery to be established here in Delta State than in other places; after all, we produce the crude, the transport of the crude will be close by and we will find a place that is very close by for you so that you would not need to have transportation challenges and I think that even if that refinery is already established elsewhere, I know that it will not be the last that you will establish, so, please put Delta State into consideration as you move forward because, I truly think that if we have a proper direction in our country, the modular refinery is the best process to go through now and the more we have it in various areas, particularly where oil is being produced, the better it will be for our nation; it will improve employment opportunities, improve on the availability of products, reduce restiveness and ensure continuity and the constancy of crude oil production in our nation,” he said, reiterating, “with this station, we want to encourage other private investors to invest more and provide this kind of project that will help to improve the lives of our people.”

He expressed satisfaction that investors are having more confidence in establishing their business in the state, disclosing, “not too long ago, just before the Christmas, the Shoprite complex was commissioned in Asaba and barely two months after, we are witnessing another commissioning ceremony of this ultra-modern filling station; it shows that the environment is friendly and economically viable; we welcome the development because, it will ease the movement of people, beautify the environment and I know that it is also going to above all, create jobs for the people.”

A director in the company, Dr Olaolu Modashiru in a welcome address, stated that the friendly environment for investment attracted the company to Delta State, assuring that the company has a reputation of having products at all times at the right price.