ABUJA – Major stakeholders involved in sales and distribution of petroleum products in Nigeria yesterday succumbed to pressure to suspend their strike action and embarked on immediate lifting of fuel across the country.
This followed an intervention of the Sen. Magnus Abe led Senate Committee on Petroleum (Downstream) in the face off between the marketers and the federal government.
The Sen. Abe Committee brokered an agreement between the Federal Government and oil marketers to ensure immediate lifting of available petroleum products by marketers in Lagos, Port Harcourt, Warri and Calabar depots.
Once the agreements were read out to the audience by Sen. Abe, all the stakeholders confirmed the points and pledged to make fuel available across the country within six hours.
Part of the resolutions reached at the well attended meeting included the immediate call off of strike by the National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) and Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association (PNGASSAN).
The resolution said the suspension of the strike was made possible due to the intervention of the Group Managing Director (GMD) of the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Dr. Joseph Dawha.
Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister for the Economy, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala was also mandated to give an undertaking to the Major Oil Marketers Association of Nigeria (MOMAN) and Depot Owners Association (DAPPMA) that the work of the committee being headed by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and Petroleum Products Pricing and Regulatory Agency (PPPRA) will be concluded.
An agreement pledging to pay the outstanding claims of the marketers was signed on behalf of the Government by the Finance Minister, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala.
It was also agreed that the license of marketers that refuse to lift fuel within six hours should be revoked.
Also, the committee is to verify N200 billion MOMAN claimed the government owes its members. If the committee “concludes its verifications of the outstanding claims before the end of the life of this administration, it would be reflected in the handover notes to the new President”.
“If it is not concluded, then, the fact that such a committee was set up and is working, will be reflected in the handover notes and a copy of the letter, conveying the existence of this committee will be sent to MOMAN and DAPPMA and also, a copy will be sent to us in this committee.
On the basis of that agreement, MOMAN will offer whatever cooperation that is needed to enable lifting of petroleum products to begin nationwide within six hours.
MOMAN has also agreed to give a similar undertaking to National Association of Road Transport Owners (NARTO) to pay existing transport costs as has been determined by them.
MOMAN will give a written undertaking to NARTO and a copy will also be sent to this committee.
NARTO and its affiliates nationwide will commence lifting of petroleum products from available fuel depots within the next six hours”, the communique continued.
The lingering fuel crisis has paralysed business activities across the nation with several notable firms announcing closure of businesses.
The scarcity also raised the pump price of petrol ranging between N200 to N400 per litre with a dramatic increase in transport fares.
The Senate had mandated its joint committee on Petroleum Resources (upstream and downstream) to meet with stakeholders including the federal government to find immediate solution to the lingering fuel scarcity in the country.
