[dropcap]O[/dropcap]gbueshi Alex Okolo is a man with the divine prowess of touching lives in a very positive way. He is humble, unassuming, intelligent, articulate, a philanthropist per excellence and above all, a titled high chief in Asaba the Delta State capital his home town. Ogbueshi Alex Okolo is the Admin Manager Mainland Oil and Gas limited Calabar, Cross River State. Recently, delegates of the Grassroots Newspaper Publishers paid him a courtesy visit at his Calabar Tank Farm office where he shed more light on several issues bordering on the contributions of Mainland Oil and Gas to the economic development of Nigeria, challenges of the downstream sector, his drive towards alleviating the sufferings of the needy and less privileged in the society and how he wished to be remembered.

Hear him:

Tell us the contributions of Mainland Oil and Gas to the economic development of Nigeria.

Mainland Oil and Gas is a company that is participating in the distribution of the Petroleum products. In other words, I think that’s what is called the downstream sector. The challenges of creating depots or Tank Farms came up when the Federal Government started having challenges of maintaining pipelines supplies to their various NNPC depots for onward delivery to petrol stations. With that, they only use vessels to move products to their various depots and those ones that are not close to the sea shore where the vessels can berth and discharge where having some basic issues. Before now, the design was to refine products and pump products from the refineries to the various NNPC depots; from there, trucks can come and pick products to their various stations where they pay the required amount for the products. But when these failed, private depots came in to bridge the gap and Mainland happens to be one of such depots.

We came into the business in December 2012 and for the short period we have spent to other participants in that sector of the business, it looks as if we’ve been there for so long because of the way we took off. We were serious about it, got our plans well articulated that when we took off, the normal teething problems that most organizations have we didn’t really have much of it. It’s not as if we were perfect but we were able to hold our own. And that is how the business is. So, Mainland Oil and Gas has helped in ensuring that petroleum products get to the final consumers with ease. This is because from her depot we supply products to most of the eastern parts, middle belt and northern parts of the country from Calabar here. That’s basically what happens. And then for those who do far distance like in the north and middle belt, government compensates them with what we call Petroleum Equalization Fund (PEF) so as to ensure that issues of logistics doesn’t lead to price increase in order to sustain pump price for petroleum products in any part of the country. That’s what government is trying to achieve by introducing PEF. So, Mainland Oil & Gas happens to be one of such depots in Calabar because everybody cannot go to Lagos or Port Harcourt. Taking the advantage of Calabar River, we bring in our products, kerosene, diesel, petrol and gas stations come to buy from us so as to be able to deliver to final consumers.

How do you get your products? Is it through the vessels or pipelines?

We pick our products either from the refineries or from Cotonou waters or from Lagos through either the NNPC; if we pay, we pick up products from NNPC. When it was good and okay from us to import, when the dollar rate was not too high, whatever one pays is better, we either pick products from companies like Petroclam, Dettol, who import products in larger vessels of about 30,000 to 50,000 metric tons. We then pick about 10,000 to 15,000 metric tons from them which is approximately 10 to 15 million litres. We bring it here with our vessel. The logistics of bringing it down here are run by us. So, if you factor this in; that’s why we used to have petroleum pricing and marketing company who normally fix prices considering the logistics that is involved and then what you might have spent in excess of what is estimated that you must bear. The government pays it as subsidy before now. But when the prices of petroleum products go up internationally, government made efforts to scrap subsidy. But considering the facts that these product prices are very unstable, it can go up at any time or come down. When the prices go up, people find it difficult to buy and sell at the recommended depot price. So, basically NNPC to be specific, become the major importers of the product. So, if you want to buy, you buy through NNPC so that you buy at a controlled price so that you can be able to sell at fix depot price. That’s what is happening in the market.

If you put in all these logistics in getting the supply and delivery, the current pump price in Nigeria, is it conducive for the Oil marketers?

Clearly speaking, the Minister of Petroleum, Dr Ibe Kachukwu, has made it clear that the landing cost of petroleum products (imported petroleum products) in Nigeria is not less than N170 per litre. So, if that landing cost is N170, what it means is that for us to get it at the recommended price of N145 somebody must bear the excess cost. And since most depot owners don’t have the capacity to bear such loss and the government is insisting that products must be sold at N145 at the stations, all it means is that government would be the sole importer, bear the price difference and sell at a price where the depot owners will sell to stations so that stations can sell at N145. In other words, even though they’re saying there’s no subsidy, one way or the other, the government bears the excess cost. I don’t know whether to call it subsidy now or not. Hahahaha!!!!! This is because they made it clear to us that there’s no more subsidy. And going through the budget it is clear that they don’t make provisions for subsidy. So, how they’re managing the difference is what NNPC has to explain to the Nigerian public and tax payers.

You people are restricted to delivery and sales to tanker drivers who deliver to stations. What is then the relationship between Tank Farm and the Filling Station Owners? How do you check if the petroleum products taken from here get to the final station for dispensing?

The fact is that each of these units is independent on its own. The owner of the petrol station is there to do business; the owner of the depot is there to do business. As far as the depot owner is concerned, once you pay for your products and pick your products, his hands are off. Whatever happens to your products along the way is your business. What the depots owners must so is to ensure that they sell products to only those licensed to buy petroleum products. Otherwise, any individual that you’re selling to must provide evidence that they’re licensed by DPR to buy or sell such products.

Let’s go down to the grassroots in terms of what you’re doing to the less privileged. What can you say that prompted you in this direction?

Well, I’ll just say that basically, it has to do with one’s nature. Nature in the sense that it’s not as if I have more than I need. But definitely, there must be one way or the other you let certain things go in other to put smiles on somebody’s face especially when you observe that that little thing you can do to that person can change lots of things in that person’s life and the person will not forget you. Just like I said, it doesn’t mean that you have so much. You might just see a family that has people who have at least School Certificate, they don’t have jobs and they can’t go back to school. One of the things you can do is to engage them in doing this or that and getting paid to sustain them. You’ve put a smile in that person’s face while you encourage the person by saying what are you thinking of going back to school? Because that job that he is doing with his school certificate may not be able to see him through after some time when he starts having families. So, you need to actually ensure that he has an ambition to go beyond what you have given him. The other option is, if the parents does not have the capacity to send them to school and you noticed that the child is brilliant and intelligent and is doing well in school, definitely, there are private schools and public schools and if you can pay for the child to attend at least an average public school, you’ve done a lot in that child’s life as long as the child understands that this is the challenge he has and this is the person that is supporting him and he’s doing well in his academics, it means that within the next 5 to 10 years you’re likely to be through with that assignment and the child will never forget you. So, if you want to wait until you become a Dangote before you support somebody that time will never come and Dangote may never see everybody that needs this help. So, if you touch somebody’s life somehow, no matter what it is, you may not do it with the intention of announcing to the public that you’re helping this person. Just do it on your own or make somebody comfortable.

As a titled chief from Asaba, how do you feel?

Well, it’s a great honour to be a title holder on your community. It’s a great recognition. My people will say, if you’re grown up, then, you tell people that you’re grown up. But basically, I’m from a royal home. The Nwamu family in Asaba is known just like the Edozien’s, the Azinge’s. It’s well known in Asaba and I took the title, not when they asked me to come and do it. Initially, I was looking at it as, for you to be a title holder, you must be elderly. How can I be rubbing shoulders with my Uncles and my grandfather’s brothers and all that? They’re the title holders; we just stay aside and support there in one way or the other. But when the time came, nobody told me. That recognition was already there but you need to accept a title so that you can talk and be listened to in your community. Otherwise, no matter what you have, in a meeting where title holders are seated, you will be the last they’ll listen to. It so happened that even if you’re the most elderly, the most junior title holder there in your mist will finish taking anything there before you. It’s not what they share there that matters but for the fact that it’s a family and you’re in that community and you’ve not taken your rightful position could be embarrassing. So, when the issue came up after several years of persuasion and the persuasion to take it up from the late Odogwu of Asaba, Chief P.I Nwamu. When I lost that my Uncle and I did not do this thing while he was alive, I just said, let me go and take this title. But I realized again that I did not do it for myself. In fact, when it done on me that I did it for the family more than what I thought I was doing for myself, that’s when I appreciated the fact that I accepted to get it done. I have a younger brother that could be very naughty but the excitement that I agreed to take the title and that I was doing it made him conduct himself orderly throughout that period. My title name is ‘Ogbueshi Ukpechukwu-munya’ meaning, “God’s light” and the full name is “Ukpechukwu-munya, Madu ama-tinyua”. In other words, when God puts on the light, nobody can put it off. It’s this particular brother of mine that gave me the name. the meaning was very significant that I couldn’t resist but take it. It’s a thing of joy honestly!

What would be your legacies to be remembered when you’re gone?

I want people to remember me for my touch on human lives, for the little things that I would have done to bring positive change to my family, community and my friends around. Because it’s not all about title neither is it all about spending money. Word of advice to some people or guidance or opening up space for people to see that they can’t be limited. That’s what I want people to remember me for. Not for the type of car I drive or my chieftaincy title. After all, in my family I have people who are even junior to me, who feel I’m a blue blood, I’m supposed to be wearing a crown and walking round the street. But even though I got to that level of taking the title early, I did not see it as the basic thing to do. There are other better things that can improve our lives and that of the people around us. And you get that done, people will appreciate it more than taking title. Thank you!

By: Grassroots Publishers