February 1, 2018

Motorists in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) on Thursday urged the Federal Government to ensure that union activities no longer disrupted steady supply of petroleum products in the country

THey expressed frustration at the re-emergence of queues at petrol stations accros the FCT.

Some of the motorists, at different parts of the FCT, urged government to ensure a lasting solution to union issues.

The Petroleum Tanker Drivers association (PTD) had threatened to prevent loading from the Suleja depot over portions of Mokwa-Jebba Road which they said were in bad state.

A motorist at the NNPC mega station newly-opened on the airport road, who preferred anonymity, told NAN that the queues should not be a recurring issue.

”This lingering problem is frustrating and embarrassing to a nation like ours. I’m just tired of this. Is the government saying the unions are more powerful?

”Yes, unions in any nation should champion the people’s rights but this is one too many. I just came out early as usual to go to work and I met this scenario.

”The unions in the petroleum sector do not care about the plight of the generality of Nigerians, their threats are becoming selfish.

”Today if it’s not PENGASSAN, it will be NUPENG; if not then PTD. How many threats of strike in a space of two months,” he said.

Another motorist at the Oando filling station in Mabushi, said ”we just don’t learn from mistakes in this country. We keep going round in circles, this persistent situation is tiring.

”Everyone makes mistakes but you grow when you learn from them, the nation should have moved from this kind of problems.

”Even though you are saying they have talked to the union, it will take a week before this queues clear because definitely people will panic”.

At the Total filling station in the Central Area, various motorists wanted to talk at once, thereby causing a mob scene.

But it only took the movement of the queue for the crowd to disperse.

However, during the melee, NAN gathered that all they wanted was to return to their normal lives and for government to address union issues so that they did not have to queue for hours to get fuel.

Meanwhile, the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) has urged motorists and other petroleum product consumers in Abuja and its environs not to engage in panic buying.

A statement by the NNPC spokesman, Mr Ndu Ughamadu, said the corporation and other relevant government agencies had met with the leadership of the PTD.

”This move has led to the union’s reconsideration of its threat to stop dispatches at some depots earlier today.

”Relevant government agencies have stepped in with a view to addressing the concerns of members of the union.

”NNPC seizes this opportunity to further warn marketers not to hoard products as law enforcement agencies, working with industry regulators, have been detailed to take appropriate measures against any defaulter.

”The corporation assures that there are enough petroleum products to guarantee relief to petroleum products consumers,” Ughamadu said.