Nigeria may witness another round of fuel scarcity as the Nigerian Association of Road Transport Owners, on Thursday, says its drivers will stop lifting petroleum products beginning from next week Monday due to the high cost of operations.
NARTO members have repeatedly raised concern over the high cost of diesel required to power their trucks for the transportation of petroleum products across the country.
Oil marketers told our correspondent on Thursday that diesel price is between N1,250 to N1,400/litre depending on the area of purchase.
NARTO’s President, Yusuf Othman, in a statement he issued in Abuja on Thursday, said its members had being operating at a loss and it is no longer sustainable for them to endure the losses.
“We will have to suspend operations latest from now till on Monday. We cannot continue to operate at a loss. Most people have parked. A lot more are going to park. But from the point of the association itself, we are going to suspend operations on Monday,” he stated.
He said NARTO’s efforts to get the intervention of key stakeholders, the Federal Government and industry operators had not yielded positive results.
NARTO is the umbrella organisation for commercial vehicle owners in Nigeria. The association represents the interests of those involved in haulage of petroleum products, general cargoes and passenger movement within the country and the West African sub-region.
NARTO has expressed several concerns regarding transporting petroleum products in Nigeria, impacting both their members and the overall efficiency of the process.
It has complained of poor road conditions, as frequent potholes, dilapidated bridges, and lack of proper maintenance lead to increased wear and tear on vehicles, higher running costs and longer journey times.
