KRPC LOSES BILLIONS TO WATER PIPELINE VANDALISM

ENGR BARU (GMD NNPC)

Due to illegal tapping of its Raw Water Pipeline that supplies water from River Kaduna to its facilities, the Kaduna Refining and Petrochemical Company Limited (KRPC), a subsidiary of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), loses an average of 2.2 billion naira annually.

The KRPC, according to a statement signed by Ndu Ughumadu, Group General Manager, Group Public Affairs Division of the NNPC Abuja, generates power for the running of the refinery which also serves as coolants for its equipment and is also deployed to combating fire outbreaks.

Following the series of tapping, the refinery now spends more on diesel and other material inputs in the maintenance of its generators and other equipment. 

Speaking on the challenges faced by the KRPC, its Managing Director, Mallam Idi Mukhtar in Kaduna, revealed that the consumption of raw water from the tapped pipes by settlers who encroach on the premises of the KRPC describing it as an unnecessary additional burden to the refinery’s industrial requirements, which must be resolved urgently by relevant state government agencies. 

On other form of losses being incurred from acts of illegal tapping of the refinery raw water pipeline, Mallam Idi Mukhtar stated that, “it slows down the build-up rate of water in the reserve tanks which endangers the refinery, as the plant is expected to maintain a minimum level of water requirement that is considered safe for operations”.

“These illegal acts are committed mostly in Janruwa, Kamazo, Namaigero and Mahuta areas of Kaduna metropolis, which are the communities along the raw water intake pipeline Right of Way” the KRPC said.

“We require a particular amount of water sufficient enough to generate steam and other industrial consumption needs, but because of the incidents of illegal tapping of our water pipeline, we need to put more effort to meet our industrial requirements as well as satisfy the appetite of illegal tappers”.

The KRPC however expressed his gratitude to the Kaduna State Government which had promised to look into the issue with a view to finding a lasting solution to the challenge.

The Kaduna State Urban Planning and Development Authority (KASUPDA) and Kaduna State Water Board have been contacted to address the issues of land encroachment on KRPC Right of Way, he explained. 

However, the KRPC boss advised illegal tappers of the refinery’s raw water pipeline to desist from the act, cautioning that the raw water was not fit for human consumption because it was untreated.

Commenting on the activities and unwholesome practices of the persons tapping illegally into the Raw Water pipeline, KRPC’s Executive Director Operations, Alhaji Shehu Malami, expressed his fears that, “if the challenge was not attended to urgently, a time would come when the plant would not be able to run some of its critical units”.

Malami revealed that the refinery was currently operating at 65% capacity; producing 1.7 million litres of petrol, 1.7 million litres of diesel and 700, 000 litres of kerosene, daily.

“The daily rate of loading is massive, even on Sundays products are being loaded to meet the growing demands in the Country”. 

Throwing more light on the issue of encroachment, Mallam Abdullahi Idris, the Executive Director Services, stated that the encroachment on KRPC’s land would not affect the NNPC’s plan of co-location of refineries.

“The refinery has carried out a lot of community projects such as youth empowerment programmes, electrification of some communities, provision of hospitals, drugs, toilets, classrooms and furniture, to ensure KRPC operate smoothly”.

District Head of Kamazu, one of the KRPC’s host communities, Mallam Auta Makama while disclosing that he was a direct beneficiary of KRPC’s Corporate Social Responsibility, CSR, interventions affirmed that the KRPC has provided boreholes, electricity, schools, hospitals as well as empowered the youth through Youth Empowerment and Skills Acquisition Programme (YESAP) in his community and others.

Makama has however, called on his wards to desist from any act of land encroachment and illegal tapping of raw water intake meant for the KRPC, advising that there was no need to tamper with the KRPC’s raw water pipeline since the refinery has provided numerous boreholes as an alternative for the communities.