NARTO has resumed operation.
NewsOnline Nigeria reports that the Nigerian Association of Road Transport Owners (NARTO) yesterday resumed operations after a two-day strike.
This Nigeria news platform understands that the National President, Yusuf Othman, said this in Abuja after a meeting with Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Oil), Heineken Lokpobiri; Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA); representatives of Major Energy Marketers Association of Nigeria (MEMAN), Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) and others.
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Othman also confirmed that marketers have increased the freight rate of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) from N32.
He noted since the marketers were still calculating the actual figure, he could not state the rate, saying the association would direct members to start lifting petrol.
He said: “I confirm that that we have reached some meeting point with marketers. They have provided additional increase to our present freight rate, but there is room for improvement.
“At this point, we have agreed to suspend withdrawal of operations. We will begin operation immediately.”
Lokpobiri noted that owing to the stakeholders engagement, the strike has been suspended.
He said: “I announce to Nigerians that after consultations with stakeholders, we have concluded that the strike should be called -off.”
The minister said issues raised by the association were addressed, stressing the government has begun payment of outstanding bridging claims.
He pledged that by mid March, government would have finished paying claims.
“We have started paying bridging claims. As we get more money, we will pay.
“By mid-March, we would have been done with payment. We asked those owing to pay so members supplying products will be able to do that,” he added.
Similarly, the NMDPRA boss confirmed that the freight rate was increased for the association due to the increase in the cost of fueling trucks and cost of diesel. He noted that since the last freight increase in March 2022, the price of diesel has risen from N700 per litre to N1,400 today.
He explained that as NARTO requested for increased in freight, the Authority advised it to engage the marketers whom they service to increase the rate.
