Anambra State warns fuel marketers against building fuel stations on govt property

Anambra State Government has warned fuel marketers against constructing gas stations on public property, emphasising that there will be no compensation for any filling following demolition.

They gave the warning during a recent engagement between the leadership of Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN), Petroleum Dealers Association of Nigeria (PEDAN) and Anambra State government.

The state government proposed the demolition of thirteen filling stations in Ekwulobia, Aguata Local Government Area of the state.

Director and Head of Highways in the state Ministry of Works , Obiekwe Mike, stated that the issue of compensation does not arise because those filling stations affected were built on Government right of way without any reference to the law on length of metres away from the center of the road before erection of any structure.

Meanwhile, the state commissioner for petroleum and minerals resources, Barrister Anthony Ifeanya emphasized that Governor Soludo engaged Consultants who are always available at the Aguata local government Secretariat on daily basis enumerating and hearing from those to be affected and how best to accommodate them.

The Petrol Dealers were informed about the level of consultations embarked upon already by the Governor with all the relevant stakeholders of Ekwulobia and the one on one interaction with all the people to be affected by the developmental road project.

The meeting was attended by the Chief of Staff to the Governor, Mr. Ernest Ezeajughi, Commissioners for Petroleum and Mineral Resources, Barrister Ifeanya Anthony , and Commissioner for Information, Sir Paul Nwosu, representative of Commissioner for Works, Special Adviser to the Governor on Security, and members of both associations.

However, it is worth noting that earlier this month, the chairman of IPMAN, Enugu Depot, covering six states including Anambra, Mr. Chinedu Anyaso, and the chairman of PEDAN, Anambra chapter, Chief Peter Obi Okafor, held an urgent meeting with Anambra petroleum marketers, pleading with the Anambra State government to adequately compensate their members whose filling stations were marked for demolition.

The association also threatened to shut down all filling stations in the state if the state government did not sufficiently compensate their impacted members prior to the intended demolition.