By Dipo Olowookere
The management of Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) has urged members of the general public to report any unprofessional acts committed by drivers conveying petroleum products in any part of the country through trucks bearing the NNPC Retail insignia.
Group General Manager, Group Public Affairs Division of the NNPC, Mr Ndu Ughamadu, said in a statement that the move has become imperative to ensure that only authentic NNPC Retail tested and certified trucks bear the company’s logo and brand insignia.
He said NNPC Retail Limited, the downstream subsidiary of the state-owned oil agency, with stake in supply and distribution of petroleum products, was conducting a nationwide audit of its field operation to ensure all delisted trucks are in compliance with the requirement to remove the company’s logo and other brand attributes.
According to him, as market leaders in the downstream retail business, the audit would help instill lasting sanity in the petroleum products haulage space across the country.
The NNPC spokesman said members of the public can call any of the flowing numbers: 09091000086 / 09091000087 if they spot any unprofessional act by trucks bearing NNPC Retail logo, colours or name.
He also implored the public to quickly note the plate number of such errant vehicle or driver and report same to the company through the aforementioned phone numbers or report such acts to the nearest relevant law enforcement agency.
Mr Ughamadu, who also reacted to the trending social media video skit showing a leaky fuel truck bearing an NNPC Retail like insignia, speeding-off along a non-descript high way, said there was nothing concrete in the said clip to show that the truck in question belonged to the NNPC Retail fleet.
“Unfortunately, our in-house investigation has been constrained by the lack of a plate number (sic) on the said truck and other identification marks we normally stencil on all authentic NNPC Retail trucks across the country,” Mr Ughamadu said in the statement.
The release noted that in line with its operational ethos of ‘Safety First’ all NNPC Retail trucks were road worthy and are subjected to the strictest oil and gas industry safety protocol and procedures.
NNPC, in the statement, also sent out heart felt condolence to the Lagos State government and families of victims of the unfortunate recent fuel tanker inferno on the Otedola Bridge, resulting in the loss of lives, vehicles and properties.
Adedapo Adesanya 
Modupe Gbadeyanka