Energy

Tanker Driver Suspends Strike

By Web News 354

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

Subscribe to our Telegram and YouTube Channels and also join our Whatsapp Update Group

Labour

Strike suspension, a temporary move – Labour

By Web News 375

The Trade Union Congress on Saturday said the suspension of its October 1 nationwide strike was a temporary move. It noted that it remained conditional upon the fulfillment of the promise by the President Bola Tinubu-led administration to fulfill the conditions enlisted in the Memorandum of Understanding signed by the Federal Government and the Organised Labour.

Labour also dismissed the claim by governors that they would not implement the demands in the MoU between the Federal Government and the organised labour on the grounds that governors had rolled out palliatives for state civil servants and residents before the MoU was signed.

The National Deputy President of the Trade Union Congress, Tommy Etim, made these known in an interview with newsmen in Abuja on Saturday.

It would be recalled that the organised Labour and the Federal Government had signed a 15-point agreement in the MoU, which was made public on October 1, 2023.

Speaking on reports that governors might not implement the terms of the agreement, Etim stated, “That is not possible. Anyways, the truth is that we have reached out to our people in the states to meet with them. Letters have also been sent to that effect.”

On the progress reached so far with the government, the labour leader said, “The 30-day ultimatum we gave to them is still in place. We have given them time and we are sure they are working. What we did was just a suspension. When you suspend a strike, you can kickstart it without further notice. We have done our part and we are waiting for them to play their part.”

Punch/Oluwayemisi Owonikoko

Subscribe to our Telegram and YouTube Channels also join our Whatsapp Update Group