Fuel Scarcity: Transporters groan, issues 3-day warning strike to occupy NNPL headquarters

………demands removal of Mele Kyari from office

Different transport groups on Monday have threatened to occupy the headquarters of the Nigeria National Petroleum Limited over lingering fuel crisis leading to high cost of pump price at filling stations.

In a communique which was issued in Lagos after a one-day meeting of various associations and made available to journalists on Monday, the groups condemned persistent fuel and gasoline scarcity for months now without end in sight.

The groups which identified themselves in the communique as Commercial Motorcycles Association of Nigeria, (COMAN), Tricycles Owners Association of Nigeria (TOWAN), National Association of Traders of Nigeria, (NASTAN), Luxurious Bus Operators Union (LUBOU), Market Women Association of Nigeria (MAWAN) and Trailer Drivers Association of Nigeria, TADAN said, their members can no longer cope with hardship.

The communique which was signed by
Chief Boniface Ogwu Ikedi, Dr Basil Ahoade Ekanem and four others urged the Federal government to rise to the occasion before the general election as they were poised to stop their members from INEC’s logistics arrangements.

Part of the communique read: “That a three-day warning of civil strike action be issued to the Federal Government to quickly fix anomalies in the oil and gas sector leading to hardship across the country.

“The association has issued a red alert to its numerous members across the six geopolitical zones to occupy the Nigeria National Petroleum Limited, NNPL headquarters located in the Central Business District, Abuja.”

“It’s also inconceivable that fuel is sold at licensed and government recognised filling stations for N350 to N400 per litre across the six geopolitical zones, which has forced majority of the members to abandon their buses, motorcycles and the rest.”

They advised President Muhammadu Buhari to remove the NNPL GMD, Mele Abba Kyari and the Minister of State for Petroleum, Timipreye Sylva from office as solution to the fuel confusion in the country.

The Association unanimously resolved that should the Federal Government fail to heed to all the resolutions herein, the NNPL towers would continue to be occupied till such a time that fuel is restored at filling stations across the country.

“That all members of the Transport union who were engaged by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC will ahead of general election to transport election related materials will be withdrawn.

“That the association will shut down any fuel retail outlet seen serving government vehicles, including INEC official cars having heard that discussion between the management of NNPL and INEC was ongoing for special fuel and gas dispenses to INEC engaged vehicles for the election beginning from February 25.”

The group also condemned the naira scarcity and the total collapse of the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN’s currency swap policy which has also brought untold hardship on Nigerians in a manner that has never been since the Biafra war about 53 years ago.