Federal Government Vows to Address Oil Transporters’ Concerns Amid Rising Fuel Prices

The Federal Government has pledged to address the concerns of oil transporters and distributors regarding the high cost of operations and maintenance of trucks used in the distribution of petroleum products. This assurance was given by Sen. Heineken Lokpobiri, Minister of State Petroleum Resources (Oil), during a meeting with stakeholders in the downstream sector, including members of the Nigerian Association of Road Transport Owners (NARTO), Petroleum Tankers Drivers (PTD), Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN), and the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG).

The meeting, held in Abuja, was convened in response to the return of fuel queues at various fuel stations due to the suspension of operations by NARTO. The association had threatened to suspend the lifting of petroleum products nationwide and down tools from Monday due to the high cost of operations and maintenance. The high cost of diesel, which is over N1,300 per litre, required to fuel their trucks for transportation and distribution, was a major concern raised by NARTO and the oil marketers.

Many fuel stations in Abuja were not dispensing fuel, while those that were had long queues and sold between N617 and N675 per litre. The NNPC Ltd. retail outlets, selling at N617 per litre, also experienced long queues, with black marketers seen on the roads.

Minister Lokpobiri acknowledged the patriotism of the transporters and assured them of constant engagement to find lasting solutions to their challenges. He emphasized the government’s intervention to prevent further hardships for Nigerians and expressed optimism that a solution would be reached.

NARTO President, Yusuf Othman, described the meeting as fruitful, stating that the minister appreciated their concerns and assured them of the government’s readiness to address them. He highlighted the need to address the increased freight rate by oil marketers, which is also contributing to the challenges faced by transporters.

The engagement, aimed at finding a lasting solution to the challenges faced by oil transporters and distributors, is set to continue on Tuesday.

Daily Nigerian