Fuel stations across the Federal Capital Territory are experiencing closures and long queues as the Nigerian Association of Road Transport Owners (NARTO) fulfills its threat to suspend operations.
The strike, which commenced today, has led to disruptions in the transportation of petroleum products, causing scarcity and inconvenience for motorists.
The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) station in Kubwa and Conoil along the Zuba-Kubwa expressway faced closures and lengthy queues, while many independent marketers shut down due to the halt in product transportation by NARTO members.
The Federal Government’s attempts to avert the strike involved negotiations with oil marketers, but as of now, the strike remains in effect.
NARTO’s decision to suspend operations stems from concerns over the high cost of diesel needed to power their trucks for nationwide product transportation.
Diesel prices, ranging from N1,250 to N1,400 per liter, have significantly impacted the association’s operational expenses.
NARTO’s President, Yusuf Othman, had in a statement he issued in Abuja on Thursday, said the statement was an official announcement from the association’s headquarters that members of the group would park their trucks from Monday.
“Why? It is because what we spend on operations is more than what we get in total, both in local and bridging,” he stated.
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 at the time of filing this report.
Despite ongoing discussions between NARTO and the Federal Government, the situation remains tense, raising fears of a nationwide fuel scarcity.
