Fuel scarcity hits Abuja as petrol tanker drivers begin strike

Fuel scarcity hits Abuja as petrol tanker drivers begin strike

Abuja residents are currently faced with fuel scarcity as petroleum tanker drivers threat to down tools took effect on Monday.

Long queues of motorists were seen at a few filling stations dispensing fuel.

Many filling stations are currently closed in the Federal Capital Territory.

Operators in the downstream oil sector confirmed that the development was due to the suspension of operations by the Nigerian Association of Road Transport Owners in fulfilment of their threat to down tools beginning today, Monday.

The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited filling station on Arab Road in Kubwa, Abuja, was closed on Monday morning.

The Conoil filling station along the Zuba-Kubwa expressway had long queues.

Due to the suspension of the transportation of petroleum products (fuel) by NARTO members, many other stations run by independent marketers closed their doors on Monday morning, creating very long lines at the NNPCL retail outlet in Abuja’s central business district.

The Federal Government had ordered oil marketers to negotiate with NARTO on Monday to avert the planned suspension of operations by its members with respect to the lifting of petroleum products (fuel) nationwide.

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The report stated that oil marketers and the executives of NARTO met about six times between Saturday and Sunday, following the declaration of the petroleum products’ transporters to halt operations.

It also stated that the Federal Government, through the downstream regulator and the petroleum ministry, would meet with NARTO members as well as other parties today (Monday) in Abuja to sort out the issues.

Chronicle NG reported on Friday that Nigeria might witness another round of fuel scarcity as NARTO had vowed to stop lifting petroleum products beginning today (Monday) due to the high cost of operations.