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The Nigerian Association of Road Transport Owners (NARTO) has directed its members not to load their tankers with petroleum from Monday, February 19, 2024.
The association said the high cost of operation necessitated the strike action.
In a recent letter addressed to the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG), NARTO said it can no longer continue with operation because of the ‘excruciating challenges’ they are facing in the industry.
The association said several efforts to increase the freight rates for their operation from concerned authorities failed to yield positive results.
The letter reads in part, “We are deeply constrained to seek the support and understanding of your union and members towards the excruciating challenges petroleum truck owners are facing with the high operational costs in the industry,”
“As you are already aware of several efforts we have made to secure negotiations for appropriate and commensurate freight rates for our operations from all conceivable authorities concerned in the industry, most especially the Major Energy Marketers Association of Nigeria but which have received no positive responses from them.
As a result, the association said it resolved to direct its members not to make their trucks available for petroleum products loading from Monday.
“We have no other options but to write 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 the continued sustainability of the Petroleum Haulage business and effective service delivery by ensuring adequate and immediate compliance,” NARTO said.
If NARTO proceeds with its strike action, it will cause fuel scarcity and worsen the country’s economy.
However, to prevent this, the Federal Government through the downstream regulator and the petroleum ministry is set to meet with NARTO members and other parties today (Monday) in Abuja to sort out the issues.