–As scarcity worsens in Abuja

By Obas Esiedesa, Abuja

In a bid to avert a complete boycott in the transportation of petrol by truck owners, the Federal Government at the weekend began the implementation of 25 percent increase freight rate for the transportation of petrol across the country.

It emerged last week that most transport owners were diverting their trucks into haulage of other goods following astronomical rise in the pump price of diesel.

The move has led to acute shortage of petrol across the country. Checks by Sunday Vanguard yesterday around Abuja City Centre and suburbs, showed that most stations including those operated by major oil marketers were out of stock.

The National President of the Nigerian Association of Road Transport Owners (NARTO), Alhaji Yusuf Lawal Othman  has however called on its members to resume full operation following government’s move.

The group had last week said its members were finding the business environment very challenging due to high operating cost.

Alhaji Othman in the statement confirmed that the Federal Government has approved and commenced the implementation of 25 percent freight rate to the members.

He therefore urged them to resume full operation in order to alleviate the current petrol scarcity.

Othman assured the members that the association is working hard on how get Automative Gas Oil (AGO) diesel palliatives from the Federal Government.

He stated: “I am calling on our members (transporters) to get back to full operation now that 25% has been implemented. I can confirm that the 25% rate has been approved and implemented.

“So, I am calling on members to get back to operations with a view to reducing the sufferings of the general public.

In addition, we are trying to look into how to get AGO palliatives from government.”