Energy

The two-day suspension of operations concerning the lifting of petroleum products by the Nigerian Association of Road Transport Owners, NARTO, has been called off by the oil transporters.

NARTO confirmed this in Abuja on Tuesday evening after the intervention of the Federal Government through the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Oil), Heineken Lokpobiri.

Lokpobiri as well as the President, NARTO, Yusuf Othman, told journalists that stakeholders in the downstream oil sector had reached an agreement to increase the freight rate of petroleum transporters, and to gradually settle other concerns raised by the tanker operators.

Aside from the minister and his team, and NARTO officials, other participants at the meeting in Abuja include officials of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority, led by their Chief Executive, Farouk Ahmed; representatives of the Major Energy Marketers Association of Nigeria; Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria; and others.

The meeting among parties had been ongoing since Monday. Participants could not reach an agreement on Monday, and had to continue on Tuesday before resolving to meet some of the demands of NARTO.

We have reached some agreements and members of NARTO have agreed to resume operations so as to reduce the plight faced by Nigerians with respect to getting petroleum products,” Lokpobiri stated.

The two-day suspension of operations by NARTO led to fuel queues by motorists in many states and the Federal Capital Territory on Monday and Tuesday.

NARTO members have repeatedly raised concern over the high cost of diesel price which was between N1,250 to N1,400/litre depending on the area of purchase required to power their trucks for the transportation of petroleum products across the country.

Punch/ Oluwayemisi Owonikoko

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News

Residents of Ado Local Government want Government to fix up Ado township roads, address erosion and complete Ojaoba.

These formed parts of the demands of members of Traditional Chiefs, Artisans, Market Women, NURTW, RTEAN, NARTO, farmers at a Civic Engagement held in Adetiloye Hall, Ado Ekiti.

First to speak, Chief Julius Ajayi called for the timely completion of all ongoing projects in Ekiti to attract meaningful development.

Representatives of NURTW, Mr. Atoki Olusola and RTEAN, Mr. Sunday Adeola lamented the poor condition of roads across Ado metropolis and rehabilitation of Ado / Igede-Aramoko road.

In his own demand, State Secretary of Artisans, Chief Joseph Ayodele urged Government to always involve Artisans in executing projects, saying that members of the association were qualify to execute projects to quality specifications.

Some of the people also appreciated administration of Governor Kayode Fayemi on various projects executed so far and promised their unflinching support.

In his response, the Ekiti State Deputy Governor, Bisi Egbeyemi said that more imparting projects would be executed for rapid development of the state.

Otunba Egbeyemi pointed out that the airport would be completed before the expiration of Fayemi’s administration, while measures had been put in place to ensure that no ongoing project abandoned or left to undone.

He announced that the school of Agriculture in Isan Ekiti had been upgraded to  Polytechnic while Ado /Ifaki road had been approved for timely completion and to ensure free flow of vehicular moment.

He pointed out that Governor, Kayode Fayemi hinged the massive investment in the state economy by local and foreign investors on the collaboration of his administration with development partners.

The Deputy Governor however called on the Residents to always report suspicious moment in their domains to appropriate authorities in order to nip the rate of insecurity in the state, adding that people should not leave everything to Government alone.

Otunba Egbeyemi said that Government would continue to prioritize the well being of the people in the state irrespective of culture, religious and political affiliation and advised the people to always obey all the COVID-19 protocols to prevent untimely death and health complications.

Earlier in her speech, the Senior Special Adviser to the Governor on Community Engagement, Mrs Tosin Aluko observed that the programme was organized to bridge gap in communication between the government and the people as well as informing the people on projects executed and other efforts put in place to make life meaning to those at various communities.

Mrs Aluko who explained that the programme would be held across the sixteen local government areas, noted that such would give people opportunity to make their views known to government and urgent demands in their domains.

She emphasized that Fayemi’s administration had always been a people centered government and would not relent in making Ekiti a place of opportunities for investors.

The Civic Engagement programme titled “E Je Ka Jo Se” afford the people to attract with Government, bear their minds on issues affecting them and highlighting achievements of Governor Fayemi since the inception of office.

Oriola Afolabi