By Yemie Adeoye
THE National Association of Road Transport Owners, NARTO, has embarked on a nationwide industrial action thereby restricting all its members from loading petroleum products from all depots across the country.

It was gathered that this latest strike action by the union is to press their demand for 12 percent freight margin in the PPPRA template.

Vanguard investigation reveals that some major loading depots around Lagos have started to experience a lull in their activities owing to the unavailability of trucks to lift petroleum products from the depots.

But in a swift reaction to the development the Management of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC,  has urged consumers of petroleum products in Lagos, Abuja and other parts of the country not to engage in panic buying or hoarding of premium motor spirit (PMS) due to the sudden emergence of fuel queues.

The Group General Manager, Group Public Affairs Division of the Corporation, Dr. Levi Ajuonuma traced the sudden emergence of fuel queues in filling stations to the ongoing strike by the National Association of Road Transport Owners, NARTO, to press their demand for 12 percent freight margin in the PPPRA template.

The NNPC spokesman explained that the sudden queues are the result of the dispute between NARTO and PPPRA adding that it has nothing to do with the NNPC or its subsidiary, the PPMC.

“I wish to reassure consumers of petroleum products nationwide that the NNPC has well over 41 days sufficiency of all petroleum products and negotiations are already in advance stage with NARTO to restore normalcy,” Dr. Ajuonuma informed.

The NNPC spokesman noted that already the Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency, PPPRA which is saddled with the responsibility of moderating price volatility, and to regulate activities of operators in the downstream sector has swung into action to resolve the imbroglio.

Dr. Ajuonuma appealed to consumers of petroleum products not to engage in panic buying and hoarding of the product, noting that all hands are on deck to resolve the NARTO strike action.

However, efforts to reach a senior member of NARTO Barrister Emmanuel Gowon proved abortive as several calls to his mobile phone were unanswered.