The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) says its subsidiary, Kaduna Refining and Petrochemical Company (KRPC), loses about N2.2 billion annually to illegal tapping of its raw water pipeline.
Ndu Ughamadu, group general manager, group public affairs division of the organisation, said this in a statement released on Thursday.
Ughamadu said the raw water pipeline that runs from Kaduna river generates power for the running of the refinery, serves as coolants for equipment and combats fire outbreaks.
“Sequel to the series of tapping, the refinery now spends more on diesel and other material inputs in the maintenance of its generators and other equipment,” he said.
He said Idi Mukhtar, KRPC managing director, lamented that the consumption of the water by settlers who encroached on the company’s premises was an unnecessary, additional burden to the refinery’s industrial requirements.
He added that the encroachment 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”.
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“The 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,” he said.
“We need to put more effort to meet our industrial requirements because of the incidents of illegal tapping of our water pipeline.”
He explained that Kaduna State Urban Planning and Development Authority and Kaduna State Water Board had been contacted to address the issues of land encroachment on KRPC Right of Way.
Ughamadu advised illegal tappers of the refinery’s raw water pipeline to desist from the act, saying the raw water was not fit for human consumption because it was untreated.
“The daily rate of loading is massive; even, on Sundays products are being loaded to meet the growing demand in the country,” he said.
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