- Parties pledge collaboration on ensuring nation-wide availability of petroleum products
The National Association of Road Transport Owners (NARTO), Petroleum Tanker Drivers (PTD) of National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG), have met with the Nigerian Midstream, Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) and the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC) over deplorable road condition in the country which the unions say, is weighing heavily on their operations.
After an intense and frank deliberation, NARTO, NUPENG-PTD have agreed to suspend the planned strike action over the roads condition.
The parties also pledged collaboration on ensuring nation-wide availability of petroleum products.
Below is a communique issued after the meeting:
Communique on critical stakeholders’ engagement between NARTO, PTD, NUPENG, NMDPRA and NNPC Ltd on February 17, 2022 AT NNPC Towers
Following the engagement between NMDPRA, NNPC, PTD, NARTO, and NUPENG, the parties resolved as follows:
1. Road Rehabilitation:
* NNPC 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.
* To allay the fears of the stakeholders, NNPC and all parties commit to working together in the monitoring of the road projects.
2. Review of freight rate for transporters:
* The stakeholders requested for completion of the ongoing discussion on the review of the freight rates to cover operational costs and highlighted 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.
* All parties agreed to work expeditiously towards concluding the review of the freight rate and make recommendations to the Government. The Authority to advice on definite close-out date during the week of 21st February 2022.
3. Collaboration on ensuring Nation-wide availability of petroleum products:
* All parties agreed to work closely to ensure efficient distribution of petroleum products across the country.
The communique was signed by the following:
Otunba S. A. Oladiti Mr. Yusuf Otthman
National Chairman PTD NARTO President
Comrade Williams Akporeha Abiodun Adeniji
NUPENG President ED F&A, NMDPRA
Mele Kolo Kyari
Group Managing Director