Connect with us

Metro

NARTO President insists that NNPC retail outlets are making genuine efforts to address scarcity

Published

on

Share this story

The National President of Nigerian Association of Road Transport Owners, (NARTO) Alhaji Yusuf Lawal Othman, has applauded the composition of 14-man Steering Committee on Petroleum Products Supply and Distribution Management, to be chaired by President Muhammadu Buhari.

This was coming after the federal government seized the initiative to address scarcity of petroleum products in the country which he said would ensure monitoring of products loaded from depots.

The 14 man team which has Minister of State Petroleum, Timpire Sylva as alternate chairman has among its terms of reference the mandate to ensure national strategic stock management, visibility on the NNPC Limited refineries rehabilitation programme and ensure end-end tracking of petroleum products, especially PMS to ascertain daily national consumption and eliminate smuggling.
Speaking with journalists in Abuja, the President of NARTO decried what he referred to as the deliberate distortion of narrative surrounding the shortfall and non availability of the products by certain forces in the downstream sector who continued to blame the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, (NNPCL) retail outlets for scarcity of the products.
Alhaji Othman dismissed the claim as unfounded as he noted
that certain players in the sector who lack the capacity for storage and effective distribution are deliberately pushing false narrative into the public domain to demonise the NNPCL retail outlets.

He maintained that public expectations are met by the oil giant retail outlets as it does not sell above the officially stipulated price for Premium Motor Spirit, (PMS) otherwise called petrol.
He said:” Whatever is written is not true, it is false. As far as we are concerned the NNPCL retailers are the largest retail outlet in the country.
“As of today, they are the only marketing company that sells fuel at the same price everywhere in the country.
“The same price in Lagos, same price in Abuja. So you will see some envy by other marketers and from experience, personally my own company has been working with NNPC retail in the last 15 years. I know their pedigree and their capacity.”

Alhaji Othman appealed to his members and others involved in the haulage of petroleum products to refrain from activities that could sabotage the federal government efforts to surmount the challenge crippling effective movement of goods and services.
“Let me use this opportunity to call on our law abiding and patriotic members who are into the transportation of petroleum products to please desist from illegal bunkering, smuggling and diversion of petroleum products because these actions are detrimental to the economy of our great nation.
“This Association will not support, defend, or sympathize with anyone caught committing these crimes. “
Asked to give timeline for the end to scarcity, the NARTO President noted that some of the contributing factors were beyond the control of the federal government.
“Relating to the current supply and availability of petroleum products is not unconnected with the current Russia-Ukraine war. Two, is the high cost of transporting from the mother vessels to the daughter vessels to the tank farms.
“Three, the exchange rate. But I know we have adequate fuel.”
He equally pleaded with the federal government to look at the high operational cost of doing business being experienced by players in the haulage of petroleum products.
‘In terms of our rising operational cost, we are merely trying to break even. The most important and primary input in our operations is Automotive Gas Oil (AGO) which is the major energy source used by our trucks. Unfortunately, however, the Averaged the major energy source used 5 at November 2022, was N808.87 against N277.89..
“Even our Mass Transit Segment was not spared from the high operating cost: According to figures obtained from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), the average cost of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) as at November, 2022 was N202.46 pe/liter against N167.60 per liter in the corresponding period of 2021, which was an increase of 20.81%.
“The situation has worsened in the new year with PMS prices reaching up to N300 per liter in many states amidst acute fuel scarcity that is persisting in thé country since the last couple of months.”

.

Continue Reading
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Metro

No break for Abure as Edo LP ratifies suspension

Published

on

By

Share this story

**As thugs loyal to Abure unleash mayhem on LP protesters from Edo

There seem to be no end in sight for the crises in the Labour Party as the Edo State chapter has officially ratified the suspension of the National chairman of the party, Julius Abure.
This was contained in a correspondent to the National Headquarters of the party titled: Ratification. Of the suspension from the membership of Ward 3, Arue, Uromi, Esan North qEast LGA, Edo State.
The letter which was signed by the chairman and secretary of the state chapter of the party, Com. Ogbaloi K.S.E State Chairman and Com. Akhere Frederick respectively and was copied INEC.
The Letter reads,

“Here forwarded to you and for your notification, the ratification of the suspension of Comr Barr. Julius Abure from the membership of Ward 3, Arue, Uromi, Esan North East LGA. Edo State.

“The State Executive Council, Labour Party, Edo State, comprising of the State Working Committee, the 18 Local Government Chairmen and the 18 Local Government Secretaries met on the 24” of May, 2024, at about 11:00pm, to consider the matters presented on the suspension of Comr. Barr. Julius Abure by his Ward in Arue, Uromi, Esan North East LGA, and the upholding of the suspension by the LGA Excos.

“After clinical analysis of the accusation, the Council found them weighty and further ratified and upheld the suspension.
Meanwhile, Thugs suspected to be loyal to the National Chairman of the Labour Party (LP), on Monday unleashed mayhem on Protesters believed to be LP supporters from the Edo State chapter who were at the party National secretariat to demand Abure’s ouster.

The anti- Abure protesters stormed the party headquarters in a number of vehicles holding placards and chanting solidarity songs.

No sooner than some of the protesters stepped out of one of the vehicles than the suspected thugs swooped on the vehicles with sticks and other objects forcing the drivers to zoom off.

A detachment of armed policemen and operatives of the Department of State Security (DSS) intervened when the thugs started throwing stones into the nearby Secretariat of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, in pursuit of reporters who were convering the fracas.

The intervention of the security officials prevented the situation from further degenerating. A police vehicle is currently stationed in between the warring factions.

Continue Reading

Metro

Kuteb accuses TY. Danjuma Of distorting history of Takum chieftaincy

Published

on

By

Share this story

By our correspondent

The Kuteb Yatso of Nigeria (KYN) the umbrella body of Kuteb world wide has accused Gen. Theophilus Danjuma ((rtd) of deliberately distorting and inventing new history of Takum Chieftaincy to benefit his tribal people (Chamba)
Chief Emmanuel Ukwen, President General Kuteb Yantso of Nigeria stated this while addressing newsmen in Jalingo on Friday.
The accusation is coming after the recent appointment of HRH Bar. Sopiya Gboshi as chief of Takum who was presented with staff of office by Gov Agbu Kefas to succeed late Ukwe Ali Ibrahim kufang ll who died 28 years ago.
The Kuteb also accused Gen. Danjuma and his associates of making plans to demolish the Takum Central Mosque and the ancestral palace of Ukwe Takum which had been located behind the Mosque.
Chief Ukwen recalled the recent speech presented by Dajuma during the coronation of the newly appointed chief of Takum against the Kuteb and late Ukwe Takum Ali Ibrahim was unjust and unacceptable.
“It is a pity that TY Danjuma referred to late Ukwe Ali Ibrahim as a very bad and terrible chief on flimsy reasons because he was a Kuteb man and a Muslim.
Record have it that late Ukwe Ali ibrahim was an honest and peace loving leader who ruled over the people of Takum from 1963 to 1996 and was adjuged by all as a leader with fear of God.
“We have uncovered a sinister move by Danjuma and his cohorts to force the State Governor to demolish the Takum Central Mosque and the Ukwe Takum Palace which is located behind the Mosque under the guise of Urban development.
“We want the whole world to know that the graves of our late Ukwes who reigned and died are in the palace.
“Any attempt by Danjuma and his cohorts to desecrate the tombs of our fathers will amount to cultural genocide,” he said.
The Kuteb leader also accused Danjuma of preaching peace in the public while he has secretly instigated and funded many crisis in his hometown, Takum.
The very recent was the sponsoring of Fulanis to wipe out over 200 Kuteb villages preparatory to the forceful installation of a Chamba Chief inorder to weaken and silence the Kuteb people in Takum.
“The Kuteb through Ukwe Takum ruled Takum from 1510 to 1996 uninterrupted by any other tribe, how comes Danjuma is forging history that the Kutebs are people from the hills? Ukwen questioned.
Meanwhile, Gen. Danjuma during the convocation of the Chief of Takum described the Kuteb people as troublesome and urged the State Governor, Kefas Agbu to be careful with the Kuteb people.
Forefront recalls that Kuteb Yatso of Nigeria shortly after the appointment of the new chief of Takum, vowed not to recognise the newly crowned chief Sopiya Gboshi from Chamba tribe.
The Kutebs vehemently vowed not to recognise the new Chief and would exhaust every legal means to recover their ancestral stool.

Continue Reading

Metro

FRSC confirms death of 5 persons, 3 survivors in Kogi auto crash

Published

on

By

Share this story

By Friday Idachaba, Lokoja.

Kogi State Sector Command of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) has confirmed the death of five persons in a fatal auto crash on Kabba-Obajana road in Kabba-Bunu Local Government Area of the state.

The State Sector Commander, Samuel Oyedeji, who confirmed the accident and death of the five to newsmen on Thursday in Lokoja said three others survived the accident with serious injuries.

Oyedeji attributed the accident which involved a Ford Galaxy space wagon and a Mazda car, to speeding and wrongful overtaking.

“The head-on collision between the two cars moving in the opposite directions happened due to speeding and wrongful overtaking by one of the drivers.

“We have been preaching against drivers flouting road safety rules and regulations, yet these motorists hardly heed our warnings.

“Five persons lost their lives in the fatal accident that left three others seriously injured,” he said.

The Sector Commander said that officers from the command immediately carried out a rescue operation at the scene of the accident and rushed the three injured persons to General Hospital, Kabba for medical attention.

Oyedeji said the remains of the five dead persons were also deposited at the mortuary of the Kabba General Hospital.

The Kogi Sector Commander admonished motorists to always endeavour to always obey road safety rules and regulations to avoid fatal auto crashes on the highways. (Ends)

Continue Reading

Trending