NARTO Withdrawal Of Service Cripples Tank Farm Operations In Lagos

By Roland Ekama 

Sequel to the threats by the Nigerian Association of Road Transport Owners (NARTO) to withdraw their services nationwide , indications have emerged that the action is yielding positive results as tank farms surrounding neighbouring Ibafon, Ijora and Ijegun in Lagos were shutdown completely.

Though hundreds of tankers were spotted on Monday in Lagos queued up without lifting petroleum products , it was gathered that drivers are in 100% compliant to the directive.

Last week, NARTO notified the Federal Government and the Major Energy Marketers Association of Nigeria of its plan to suspend operations over the high cost of doing business.

DAILYFOCUS NIGERIA findings revealed that the ever busy Apapa – Oshodi expressway witnessed long queue of tankers waiting for instructions before lifting petroleum products from the numerous tank farms scattered along the corridor.

Our correspondent who spoke with a cross section of truckers, tank farm depot operators gathered that NARTO threats has ripple effect on the lifting of products from these facilities, as they further expressed anxiety about when the withdrawal would be halted by the group.

According to them, the NARTO directive is effective and they will continue to comply with service withdrawal untill government intervene .

The tank farm operators further told our correspondent that there were no activities at the depots due to the service withdrawal by transporters.

A safety officer at one of the depot, who simply identified himself as Tonye Princewill stated that the Association of truckers were serious with the threat saying that ” Tanker drivers are not working in any of the depots.”

NARTO in a statement signed by the National President, Alhaji Yusuf Othman Lawal resolved that members of the group are advised not to make trucks available for petroleum products loading activities from on Monday 19 2024.

Meanwhile, Fuel scarcity has hit the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) following the strike action embarked upon by members of the Nigerian Association of Road Transport Owners .

Most fuel stations in the FCT were shut due to the unavailability of petroleum products. The few Independent marketers who opened to customers dispensed the product for between N648 to N670 per litre.

The few Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) retail outlets that were opened sold the product for N617 per litre amid endless queues.