Anti-Pipeline Vandalism: IPMAN appoints Bina as Bayelsa Chairman

 Femi Folaranmi, Yenagoa

The National Executive Council of Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) has appointed Hon. Bello Bina as the Bayelsa State Chairman/Coordinator of the Association.  

Bina is expected to use his position to tackle incidents of pipeline vandalism, crude oil theft and other criminal activities associated with the Oil and gas Sector through Surveillance/Intelligence Sharing and Monitoring Taskforces.

IPMAN national executives also approved the setting up of the Bayelsa State Steering Committee to be supervised and headed by Bina as Chairman/Coordinator of the Command with tenure of five years in office.

Aside Bayelsa State, Bina is also saddled with the task to oversee the affairs of the State and other parts of the Niger Delta region.

The National President of IPMAN, Elder Chinedu Okoronkwo, while inaugurating  Bina as the Chairman of Bayelsa State Command i asked him and the proposed State Steering Committee members to work in accordance with the mandate given to IPMAN by the President Of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, President Muhammadu Buhari.

Okoronkwo pointed out that the appointment of the Bayelsa Chairman of the Association and the approval for the setting up of the State Steering Committee is in line with the mandate given to the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) by President Muhammadu Buhari to checkmate all unwholesome activities in the oil and Gas Sector of the Economy.

According to him, “You are to recommend other key members of the Steering Committee for Appointment and liaise with the National President and the security frameworks in Bayelsa State for proper coordination and synergy for the Protection of Oil and gas facilities in the State”.

“The message is very clear, that business is very old and they should embrace the new approach by the Federal Government of leaving the pipelines and getting involved into Modular Refineries by putting themselves into Cluster, that way government can now come in and put up the modular refineries for them” – Elder Chinedu Okoronkwo said.

Also speaking, the National Secretary of IPMAN, Alh. Danladi Pasali while presenting the letter of appointment to  Bina, warned vandals and other criminal minded elements in the oil and gas sector to desist from such nefarious acts or face the full wrath of the law while urging the State Chairman to deliver on his mandate and carry everyone along in the course of the discharge of his duties.

Bina in his acceptance speech commended the federal government and IPMAN initiative towards tackling the rising cases of oil pipeline vandalism and other crimes in the oil and gas sector, promising to face his new assignment with zeal and patriotism.