Photo: (L-R) Alh. Yusuf Lawal Othman, (National President, NARTO), Comrade Williams Akporeha (National President, NUPENG) Abiodun Adeniji (ED F&A, NMDPRA), Mallam Mele Kyari, Chief Executive Officer/ Group Managing Director, NNPC Limited and Otunba S.A Oladiti (Chairman,PTD)
By Ihechi Enyinnaya
Stakeholders in the oil and gas industry on Thursday agreed to work closely to ensure efficient distribution of petroleum products across the country.
At a meeting held at the NNPC TOWERS in Abuja, the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited(NNPC), Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority(NMDPRA), Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG), Petroleum Tanker Drivers(PTD) and the Nigerian Association of Road Transport Owners(NARTO) also requested for completion of the ongoing discussion on the review of the freight rates to cover operational costs and highlighted the precarious situation that truck owners face in the light of current economic realities.
This was disclosed in a communique issued at the end of the meeting.
Signatories to the communique are, Otunba S. A. Oladiti, National Chairman PTD; Mr. Yusuf Otthman, NARTO President; Comrade Williams Akporeha, NUPENG President; Abiodun Adeniji, ED F&A, NMDPRA and Mele Kolo Kyari, Group Managing Director NNPC Limited.
Part of the communique read: “NNPC provided updates on the current status of the road construction and rehabilitation projects under the road infrastructure tax credit scheme and assured the stakeholders (NUPENG, NARTO and PTD) that the funding earmarked for the 21 critical roads will be applied for the intended purpose only.
“To allay the fears of the stakeholders, NNPC and all parties commit to working together in the monitoring of the road projects.
“The stakeholders requested for completion of the ongoing discussion on the review of the freight rates to cover operational costs and highlighted the precarious situation that truck owners face in the light of current economic realities.
“NMDPRA informed the meeting that a committee has been constituted to review the rates which includes PTD, NARTO and NUPENG in addition to other stakeholders.
“All parties agreed to work expeditiously towards concluding the review of the freight rate and make recommendations to the Government. The Authority to advise on definite close-out date during the week of 21st February 2022.”