Petrol scarcity looms as more marketers join strike

Thirty members of the Depot and Petroleum Products
Marketers Association on Tuesday threatened to join
in the strike called by the Jetty and Petroleum Tank
Farm Owners of Nigeria, if Federal Government failed
to settle arrears on subsidy payments, among other
issues by Thursday.
In a communiqué at the end of its emergency
meeting, DAPPMA gave the Federal Government a
48-hour ultimatum to pay all verified and
outstanding subsidy claims, accrued interests and
the foreign exchange differentials arising from late
payments.
Members of JEPTFON had on Monday embarked on an
indefinite strike over unpaid subsidy claims. The
union had shut down jetties and depots belonging to
its members.
DAPPMA said its members would suspend the supply
of petroleum products nationwide, if government did
not address the issues. It added that the bank loans
used to finance importation of petroleum products
had continued to accrue interest over and above the
45 days allowed for reimbursement.
President of the association, Chief Dapo Abiodun, and
Secretary, Mr. Ikem Ohia, stated, "Our members have
been unfavourably exposed to the harsh effects of
the devaluation of the naira that will make it
impossible to fully repay the outstanding dollar
denominated loans when eventually payments are
made by the Federal Government."
Abiodun said the unilateral decision by the Federal
Government to indefinitely suspend the subsidy
payments for seven months had seriously threatened
the business of DAPPMA members.
He said, "We demand that government pay all
verified and outstanding subsidy claims and all the
accrued interests over and above the contractual
period, as well as all the foreign exchange
differentials arising from late payment of subsidy
within 48 hours.
"We implore government to meet the above
demands within 48 hours, failing which we will be
constrained to suspend the supply and distribution of
petroleum products nationwide."