By FESTUS OKOROMADU, Abuja
The Nigeria Association of Road Transport Owners (NARTO), has ordered all petrol tankers nationwide to immediately resume operation as the National Executive Council (NEC) of the association has revert its earlier strike order issued on Monday.
National President of NARTO, Alhaji Yusuf Othman, who disclosed this at a press conference in Abuja on Tuesday, said the decision to call of the strike followed the intervention of the Group Managing Director (GMD) of NNPC, Mallam Mele Kyari and the Director-General of the DSS, Yusuf Magaji Bichi, on behalf of the federal government.
NARTO, had on Monday, asked all its members to withdraw petrol tankers nationwide, on Tuesday and Wednesday, September 22 and 23, 2020 in protest against the order of the Federal Government, banning tankers with 45,000-litre capacity from lifting petroleum products in the country.
Addressing journalists, Alhaji Othman said the National Executive Council (NEC) of NARTO had agreed with government that all parties should revert to status quo until January, 2021 to allow for wider consultation.
“Following the intervention of the Group Managing Director (GMD) of NNPC, Director-General of DSS, we are hereby directing all our members to resume operation nationwide.
“This is a directive that we revert to status quo until January, 2021 to allow for wider consultation,” he said.
When remained that the initial order banning tankers with 45,000-litre capacity from lifting petroleum products was issued by the Niger State government and not the Federal Government, NARTO’s National President said as far as his association is concern the order is from the Federal Government as the roads in question a owned by the national government.
He however expressed optimism that all the issues in contention would be reserved before the expiration of the January 1, 2021 as negotiations with all stakeholders will continue.
It will be recalled that NARTO, on Monday, ordered all its members to withdraw petrol tankers nationwide, on Tuesday and Wednesday, September 22 and 23, 2020.
The directive was in protest against the order of the Federal Government, banning tankers with 45,000-litre capacity from lifting petroleum products in the country.
The transporters are also issuing a 10-day strike notice to the Federal Government, effective September 24, 2020 over the issue.
