The meeting between the Nigerian Association of Road Transport Owners (NARTO) and officials of the federal government over the suspension of petroleum product loading activities ended in a deadlock Monday evening.
The meeting held in Abuja and was attended by the Minister of State Petroleum Resources (Oil), Heineken Lokpobiri, with NARTO, oil marketers and the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority, (NMDPRA).
NARTO had in a letter dated 15 February, addressed to the General Secretary of the Nigerian Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas (NUPENG) and signed by its National President, Othman Yusuf, directed its members to withdraw their trucks from petroleum product loading activities with effect from Monday, 19 February.
The association noted that the decision to withdraw its operation was due to the high operational costs in the industry.
The association had recently raised concern over the high cost of diesel required to power its trucks for the transportation of petroleum products across the country.
In its letter, the association said it can no longer continue in business within the context of the current economic situation in the country.
“We are deeply constrained to seek the support and understanding of your union and members towards the excruciating challenges petroleum truck owners are facing with the high operational costs in the industry.
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“As you are already aware of several efforts we have made to secure negotiations for appropriate and commensurate freight rates for our operations from all conceivable authorities concerned in the industry, most especially the Major Energy Marketers Association of Nigeria but which have received no positive responses from them.
“We have no other options but to write to inform you that the NARTO National Executive Council (NEC) has resolved to direct all our members not to make their petroleum trucks available for petroleum products loading activities with effect from Monday, 19th day of February 2024,” the association said.
Meeting
On Monday, Mr Lokpobiri said the engagement would continue on Tuesday as the government seeks to find solutions to the issues raised by NARTO.
“We have been having an engagement with different stakeholders in the downstream petroleum industry based on some concerns which were raised. The engagements are still continuing and we hope that we will be able to find solutions to those concerns as soon as possible.
“Engagement will continue tonight till tomorrow. But it should be pointed out very clearly that they have demonstrated utmost good faith and patriotism. It should also be known that the issues have nothing to do with the government. It is basically commercial. But as a government we have decided to intervene so that Nigerians will not suffer unduly,” Mr Lokpobiri said.
PREMIUM TIMES had reported how fuel queues returned to filling stations in Abuja on Monday, as the Nigerian Association of Road Transport Owners (NARTO) directed its members to withdraw services.
A PREMIUM TIMES correspondent who visited petrol stations Monday morning found that some of the stations were shut while others were besieged by motorcyclists, tricycle owners, as well as private and commercial drivers.
Many filling stations in Jabi, Wuse, Gwagwalada, Apo, Kubwa and Lugbe areas of the city sold the product at prices ranging from N660 to N680 while a litre of petrol was sold at N617 at the NNPC retail stations.
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