Another round of scarcity of Premium Motor Spirit, popularly called petrol, is imminent in Abuja, Kaduna, Nasarawa, Kogi, Niger and neighbouring states following the commencement of a three-day warning strike by the Suleja Depot Branch of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN).
It was gathered that members of the union commenced the strike on Monday in protest against the continued indebtedness of the Federal Government to oil marketers concerning the payment of fuel transportation costs, otherwise called bridging claims.
The IPMAN Suleja Depot Branch Chairman, Yahaya Alhassan, said marketers had stopped the supply of products from the depot, as the union had prevented trucks from moving PMS to the northern states.
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He said marketers were withdrawing their services until the Federal Government settled their outstanding bridging claims of N50.5bn.
He said, “The Petroleum Equalisation Fund has not paid our money. We have N50.5bn (to be paid by PEF) and because of that we are withdrawing our services.”
The IPMAN Suleja Depot Branch Chairman said the three-day warning strike would go on if the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) fails to remit the money.
“At the expiration of the warning strike on Wednesday, if they (NMDPRA) fail to pay us, the stoppage of supply would continue indefinitely,” Alhassan stated.