Fuel Queues: FG appeals, as oil marketers down tools

Fuel distributors and oil carriers have voiced their concerns about the high operating and maintenance costs of distribution vehicles, and the federal government has promised to fix these issues so that oil can be distributed smoothly.

While meeting with many oil industry stakeholders in Abuja on Monday, Sen. Heineken Lokpobiri, the minister of state for petroleum resources (oil), made this information public.

Among the parties involved are members of NARTO, PTD, IPMAN, and NUPENG, the Nigerian Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers.

Given the resurgence of fuel lineups at several petrol stations, the conference became imperative.

This change came about because NARTO complied with their warning to halt the lifting of petroleum products countrywide and down tools starting Monday owing to the high cost of operations and maintenance by suspending their activities.

The high cost of diesel, which is over N1,300 per litre and used to fuel vehicles that distribute petroleum products around the country, has been a source of complaint for NARTO and the oil marketers.

Journalists who scoured Abuja found that many gas stations were out of petrol, or Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), and that the ones that were selling it had long lines and charged between N617 and N675 per litre.

Black marketers came out in full force, and long lines formed at the NNPC Ltd. retail locations, where the price per litre is currently N617.

The minister, on the other hand, praised the carriers’ patriotism and promised them ongoing support as they worked to overcome their difficulties.

Because of our predicament, Nigerians are already dealing with a lot.

We, the government of Nigeria, must step in to alleviate the plight of Nigerians because the concerns they voiced are mostly economic in nature. He promised a resolution by the conclusion of the engagement.

The minister expressed gratitude and reaffirmed the government’s preparedness to address their concerns, according to NARTO President Yusuf Othman, who spoke with Journalists after the meeting.

The oil marketers are in charge of paying us freight rates; the government is no longer involved in this matter, and we are not battling them.

There should also be an adjustment for the freight rate hikes that the oil marketers implemented. “On Tuesday, the minister has committed to meeting with the marketers and us,” Othman informed the press.

On Tuesday, the interaction will resume in the hopes of resolving the issues permanently.