Petroleum Retailers Outlet Owners Association of Nigeria (PETROAN) has instructed its members to refrain from shutting down their operations over the non-payment of the N100 billion bridging claims.
Also, National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) said it is engaging the Lagos State Government to resolve the ongoing issue of towed trucks.
On Monday, the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) issued a seven-day ultimatum to the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) to pay the bridging claims owed marketers amounting to N100 billion or face industrial action.
Like the Equalisation Fund, bridging claims represent the cost of transporting fuel from the Pipelines and Products Marketing Company (PPMC) depots to approved zones to ensure a uniform price across the country.
However, PETROAN told its members that instead of halting operations, the association advocated dialogue to resolve the outstanding bridging claims issue with NMDPRA.
PETROAN spokesman, Joseph Obele, stated, yesterday that the directive followed an emergency national executive meeting, yesterday.
“While acknowledging the frustration and concerns of its members regarding the unpaid bridging claims totalling N100 billion, PETROAN firmly believes that a shutdown would have devastating consequences, including fuel scarcity, economic disruption and hardship for the Nigerian people,” he stated.
NUPENG said the negotiation aims to prevent disruptions in fuel distribution, which could lead to widespread scarcity.
In an interview with the newsmen in Lagos, yesterday, General Secretary of NUPENG, Olawale Afolabi, explained that the union had withdrawn its services in response to the recent attacks and arrests of tanker drivers by security personnel from the Lagos State Government.
Afolabi reassured all that the situation would be resolved with the state authorities and that the towed trucks would be released to the union as promised by the government.
Similarly, the Chairman of NUPENG, Lagos branch, Tayo Aboyeji, confirmed that the service withdrawal was in response to the mistreatment and arrest of tanker drivers by security personnel.
He clarified that the union had instructed drivers not to operate at night to avoid accidents and hijackings.
The Guardian
