Several filling stations are currently shut down in the Federal Capital Territory, allowing for long queues by motorists at the few outlets that are dispensing Premium Motor Spirit, commonly called petrol.
Confirming the development, Operators in the downstream oil sector stated that due to the suspension of operations by the Nigerian Association of Road Transport Owners, in fulfilment of their notice to down tools starting Monday 19 February.
It was gathered that the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited filling station on Arab Road in Kubwa, Abuja, was shut down on Monday morning as well as the Conoil filling station along the Zuba-Kubwa expressway said to have been left with long queues.
It was learnt that the NNPCL retail outlet in the central business district of the FCT also had very long queues on Monday morning, as several other filing stations run by independent marketers closed their stations due to the halt in the transportation of petroleum products by NARTO members.
Meanwhile, on Monday 19 February 2024, report has it that the Federal Government had ordered oil marketers to negotiate with NARTO to address the planned suspension of operations by its members with respect to the lifting of petroleum products nationwide beginning Monday.
According to the report, which revealed that oil marketers and the executives of NARTO met about six times between Saturday and Sunday, following the declaration of the petroleum products’ transporters to halt operations, also stated that the Federal Government, through the downstream regulator and the petroleum ministry, would meet with NARTO members, as well as other parties today (Monday) in Abuja to address the issues.
Recall that on Friday 16 February, NARTO had vowed to stop lifting petroleum products beginning from today (Monday) due to the hike in the cost of operations.
Ceaselessly, NARTO members have raised concerns over the high cost of diesel required to power their trucks for the transportation of petroleum products across the country.
Oil marketers had earlier noted that diesel prices were between N1,250 to N1,400/litre depending on the area of purchase.
In a statement released in Abuja on Thursday, 15 February, NARTO’s President, Yusuf Othman, said that the statement was an official announcement from the association’s headquarters that members of the group would park their trucks beginning from (today) Monday.
As of press time, while the tanker operators insisted that the suspension of operations was still in force, it was, however, gathered on Monday that the meeting between them and the Federal Government was ongoing.
Details shortly…
