Petroleum unions suspend planned strike action

 

Fears that the current disruption in petrol supply and distribution network would escalate following threat by key petroleum sector unions to down tools have been allayed, Leadership Newspaper reports.

This follows intervention of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited, which led to an agreement with other stakeholders to amicably resolve all pending issues.

A communique issued after a critical stakeholders meeting on Thursday in Abuja between the National Association of Road Transport Owners (NARTO), Petroleum Tanker Drivers (PTD), the National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas (NUPENG), Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Regulatory Agency, (NMDPRA) and NNPC, said all parties have agreed to work closely to ensure efficient distribution of petroleum products across the country.

The communique signed by NNPC GMD, Mele Kyari; Otunba S. A. Oladiti and Mr. Yusuf Otthman, national chairman of PTD and NARTO President respectively as well as Comrade Williams Akporeha, NUPENG President and Abiodun Adeniji, ED F&A, NMDPRA, further agreed that the NNPC should provide updates on the current status of the road construction and rehabilitation projects under the road infrastructure tax credit scheme and assured the stakeholders (NUPENG, NARTO and PTD) that the funding earmarked for the 21 critical roads will be applied for the intended purpose only.

The meeting agreed that NNPC and all parties should commit to working together in the monitoring of the road projects.

The stakeholders requested for completion of the ongoing discussion on the review of the freight rates to cover operational costs and highlighted the precarious situation that truck owners face in the light of current economic realities.

Also, the NMDPRA informed the meeting that a committee has been constituted to review the rates which include PTD, NARTO and NUPENG in addition to other stakeholders.

In addition, all parties agreed to work expeditiously towards concluding the review of the freight rate and make recommendations to the government.

The Authority is to advise on definite close-out date during the week of February 21, 2022 and all agreed to collaborate toward ensuring nationwide availability of petroleum products.