By Adedapo Adesanya
The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) has assured that the pump price of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), popularly known as petrol, would not be increased in the month of May.
The Group Managing Director of the NNPC, Mr Mele Kyari, also assured that there are no plans to increase the ex-depot price of petrol in the country.
Mr Kyari confirmed this development while briefing reporters after a closed-door meeting with the National Association of Road Transport Owners (NARTO) and the Petroleum Tanker Drivers (PTD) on Monday in Abuja, the nation’s capital.
The meeting was convened by the NNPC boss amid the industrial action by the tanker drivers who had given NARTO a seven-day ultimatum to address the issues bordering on the increase of compensation for their members.
As a result, the tanker drivers decided to suspend their industrial action, with a promise to resume operation.
On his part, Mr Kyari asked the union to expedite action to ensure that fuel queues do not resurface across the country.
“On the ongoing strike by Petroleum Tanker Drivers (PTD) associated with the ability of their employers – NARTO to increase their compensation, leading to the industrial action, this we were not able to resolve last week.
“But we have given a commitment to both NARTO and PTD that we will resolve the underlining issues within a week and come back to the table so that we’ll have a total closure around the dispute – both in terms of government’s responsibility and then the responsibility of NARTO (owners of the trucks) to the Petroleum Tanker Drivers,” he said.
Dipo Olowookere