There maybe scarcity of fuel in the coming days if the threats of Nigerian Association of Road Transport Owners (NARTO), are not taken seriously by the Federal Government.
NARTO on Monday threatened to withdraw its haulage services if the Federal Government refuses to urgently do something about its rising operation costs.
NARTO’s National President, Alhaji Yusuf Lawal Othman, in a statement sighted by IkejaBird, said it was difficult for members to sustain their business due to the regulated freight rate paid in arrears.
He said:”Therefore, transporters whose freight rate is fixed and regulated cannot sustain the business if nothing is done.
“We can’t operate. We can’t work if nothing is done to increase the freight rate. The condition is unbearable because of the cost of diesel,” he said.
He appealed to the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) to increase the freight rate to reflect the present cost of Automotive Gas Oil (AGO) diesel and spare parts.
He said the former depot cost of diesel jumped to N401 per litre on Monday.
He also said it might rise to N420 per litre at the filling stations if the situation was not addressed.
Othman urged the NMDPRA Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Farouk Ahmed to hold a stakeholders meeting to increase the freight rate and look into other issues of operation costs.
“We are appealing to the CEO of the downstream regulatory agency. He has to sit down with us immediately and ensure that the freight rate is increased to reflect the rising cost of diesel and other spare parts.”
“We have a problem. Today, the price of AGO ex-depot is N401 per litre. It means that in Abuja, Kaduna, Kano, it will reach N420 to N430. At the filling station, it will reach like N450.
“It is just to regulate our rising operation cost. It is as simple as that. Otherwise, our people have parked their trucks and more people are going to park,” he said.
NARTO threatens to withdraw services as fresh fuel scarcity looms
