Long queues resurfaced yesterday in Abuja, especially at Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) retail outlets as motorists jostled for Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) otherwise called petrol, amid tanker drivers’ strike beginning on Monday.

This comes as the Nigerian Association of Transport Owners (NARTO) seeks full enforcement from all of its employees under the Petroleum Truck Drivers to halt operations.

The few stations that were dispensing late Sunday, marketers were selling at about N670 per litre in the main city of Abuja while those in the suburbs soldhigher. NNPC sells at N617 per litre.

In the late hour of yesterday, most motorists were spending between 30 minutes to hour at the NNPC retail outlets at the Ketampe area of Abuja, the NNPC at the Jabi airport junction was not dispensing. Most of the stations around the Kubwa expressway were shut and those dispensing were selling at above N670 per litre.

NARTO had said  what the truckers are spending on lifting petroleum products across the country is no longer sustainable as they demand double for the current transportation allowance in the current pricing template.

In a letter forwarded by the association yesterday and addressed to the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG), NARTO said several efforts made to secure negotiations for appropriate and commensurate freight rates its operations from all conceivable authorities concerned in the Industry, most especially the Major Energy Marketers Association of Nigeria were abortive.

“We have no other options but to inform you that the NARTO National Executive Council (NEC) has resolved to direct all our members not to make their Petroleum Trucks available for Petroleum Products loading activities with effect from Monday, 19th day of February 2024.

“In the light of this directive, we implore all our employees (Petroleum Truck Drivers), who are your members to show maximum cooperation, support and understanding to our collective efforts for continued sustainability of the Petroleum Haulage business and effective service delivery by ensuring adequate and immediate compliance,” the letter signed by the National President of NARTO, Yusuf Othman stated.

National President of the Petroleum Products Retail Outlets Owners Association of Nigeria (PETROAN), Dr Billy Gillis-Harry said the strike would cripple not only the sales of petroleum products in the country but also the nation’s economy.

He noted that the plight of the transport remained germane, adding necessary authorities need to act fast as the development would have negative impacts.

Gillis-Harry noted that while appropriate transportation allowance is necessary, the impact on Nigerians could be worse because of the prevailing economic situation.