The Vehicle Owners Association of Nigeria (VOAN) has appealed to the Federal Ministry of Petroleum Resources to facilitate its programmes to create massive employment for youths in the country.
Mr Vincent Okoko, President of the association made the appeal on Thursday in Abuja during a visit to Dr Ibe Kachikwu, Minister of State for Petroleum Resources with members of the association.
Okoko said that the association was geared toward expedition of the much needed reforms in the transport sector through expert opinions, initiating and implementing programmes that would create more jobs.
He said that one of the aims of the visit was to seek the free-will donation of the ministry in cash or kind to further strengthen the activities of the ministry.
He said that part of the money would be used in creating massive employment for the youths by engaging them in various jobs like operating Hyabb machines, trucks, and tippers, as pay loaders and evacuators for road works.
Okoko added that the youths would also be given opportunities to carry out administrative functions in respective transport sectors across the 36 states and the FCT.
“We plead for your kind approval for the award and concession of five oil acreages of the Marginal Oil Fields recently put up for bids by your ministry on discretionary basis to the association.
“This is on the ground of overriding public interest and on popular demand as a major stakeholder to promote indigenous participation and build local capacity in the upstream sector.
“Your kind approval for a license to operate Modular Oil Refineries in the marginal oil fields once allocated to the association.
“Through this measure, we expect to also contribute our own qouta to the supply and availability of refined petroleum product in the general pool in the year 2019 in line with your projection and target”,
Okoko said.
Okoko said that from the net revenue generated by the association, it would utilise it on programmes and projects that would be of benefit to Nigerians.
He listed some of the projects and programmes to include Nationwide road sanitation works, accident insurance policies for road accident victims, commuter safety, vehicle loan scheme and advancement of the country’s security among others.
In his response, Kachikwu lauded the existing and intending programme of association which was tailored toward the nation’s advancement.
Mr Johnson Awoyemi, a Senior Technical Assistant to the minister, who represented the minister, said that the ministry would support the association in the best possible ways.
Kachikwu, however, told the association’s President that the five oil acreages would be up for public bidding and the association was qualified for the bid.
He also urged the association to apply through the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) for the license to operate a modular oil refinery.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the VOAN was established in 2015 to advocate for the welfare, rights and justice of vehicle owners and to reduce accidents on the roads inline with the UN target of 50 per cent reduction in road crashes.(
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