Stakeholders shelve proposed strike as NNPC intervenes in crisis
By Nnamdi Okosieme
The tension in the Nigerian oil sector over the proposed strike by key players in the industry, eased on Thursday with the intervention of the Nigerian National Petroleum.
NNPC Chief Executive Officer, Mallam Mele Kyari met for several hours with the leadership of NARTO, PTD, NUPEND AND NMDPRA to find ways of resolving the dispute.
At the meeting, Kyari provided updates on the current status of the road construction and rehabilitation projects under the road infrastructure tax credit scheme and assured the stakeholders (NUPENG, NARTO and PTD) that the funding earmarked for the 21 critical roads will be applied for the intended purpose only.
On the stakeholders request for completion of the ongoing discussion on the review of the freight rates to cover operational costs and the precarious situation that truck owners face in the light of current economic realities, NMDPRA informed the meeting that a committee has been constituted to review the rates which includes PTD, NARTO and NUPENG in addition to other stakeholders.
At the end of the engagement, the meeting resolved that in addition to the guarantee on the road project provided by the NNPC, and to all the fears of stakeholders, the NNPC and the parties commit to working together in the monitoring of the road projects.
Other decisions reached at the meeting included:
° All parties agreed to work expeditiously towards concluding the review of the freight rate and make recommendations to the Government. The Authority to advise on definite close-out date during the week of 21st February 2022.
° All parties agreed to work closely to ensure efficient distribution of petroleum products across the country.
The meeting was attended by Kyari, Otunba Salmon Oladiti, national chairman, Petroleum Tanker Drivers(PTD), Mr. Yusuf Othman,
national chairman, Nigerian Association of Road Transport Owners(NARTO), Comrade Williams Akporeha, national president, Nigerian Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas(NUPENG) workers, Abiodun Adeniji, Executive Director, Finance and Administration, Nigerian Midstream Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority( NMDPRA)
