Fuel scarcity hits Lagos, Abuja, Nasarawa, Kaduna, Niger as PENGASSAN commence indefinite strike
PENGASSAN had announced last week that it would embark on an indefinite strike from today (Monday) following a stalemate in the peace meeting, which the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Ibe Kachikwu, brokered between the union and Neconde Energy Limited.
Fuel queues have returned to many fuel stations as at Monday, 18 December as many filling stations were shut.
Petrol scarcity in many parts of the country grew worse this morning in Lagos, Abuja, Nasarawa, Kaduna and Niger states
According to media reports, the underlying reasons are responsible for the scarcity:
PENGASSAN nationwide strike:
Most of the fuel stations remained shut due to threats by members of the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria to embark on a nationwide strike from today (Monday).
Officials of PENGASSAN told one of our correspondents that the Department of State Services had invited the association to a meeting, which commenced at 6pm on Sunday and was still ongoing. Decision reached at the meeting may influence marketers’ decision
The Group General Manager, Group Public Affairs Division, Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, Ndu Ughamadu, told one of our correspondents on Sunday that the management of the firm was meeting officials of PENGASSAN.
“As we speak right now, the NNPC is holding consultation with the association on this matter and we are optimistic,” he said.
The Executive Secretary, Depot and Petroleum Products Marketers Association, Mr. Olufemi Adewole, said the queues would not disappear overnight, adding, “Once there is a gap, you need to double or triple your effort to bridge the shortfall and bring everything back to normal. It’s taking quite a while but we are working on it.
“I know some of our members have started loading; when I say loading, they are receiving from the NNPC; so, once it gets to their depots, they will start trucking out.” he said
