Ogun promises complaint phone line over alleged harassment of petroleum marketers

TRACKING>>To curtail the excesses of security men and paramilitary officers along the border towns in Ogun State, the state government at the weekend said a special dedicated telephone number would be activated where citizens can lodge complaints.

When fully operational, citizens would have direct access to government where complaints of harassment and intimidation could be made.

The state governor, Dapo Abiodun, said this measure became necessary because some security personnel often allegedly arm-twist, harass and intimidate businessmen and women and dispossess them of their goods on those routes.

Abiodun said these while reacting to complaints by members of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN), South West Chapter, who visited him in his office at Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta.

IPMAN had embarked on an industrial action on account of the allegation of extortion by security agents along the corridor.

But the governor noted that as an investor-friendly government, his administration would not allow investors like petroleum marketers to be harassed.

Abiodun said that the petroleum marketers, as partners in the quest of building an economically viable state, would be protected against extortionate taxes, rates and nefarious activities of federal or state officials.

In his remarks, the South-West Zonal Chairman of IPMAN, Dele Tajudeen, said that they came to express their grievances over harassment by the joint task force of Customs and the military personnel.

He urged the Federal Government to properly indicate where the 20 kilometres setback for petroleum products starts and ends.

He said: “The governor has addressed the issue and has promised to put a stop to it. We have honoured him by lifting the ban on the supply of petroleum products to the state pending when the issues would be resolved.

“Nobody can say where the 20 kilometres is. I think that if government wants to be sincere, there should be a sign indicating where the 20 kilometres starts.