In fulfilment of its promise to ensure sustainable fuel supply and distribution under safer and secure environment, the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), yesterday, engaged critical stakeholders across the value chain to develop a framework for intervention and resolution of lingering issues.
This is a follow-up to an earlier call to dialogue with the Petroleum Tanker Drivers (PTD), a branch of the Nigeria Union of Petroleum & Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG), which led to the suspension of a planned nationwide strike on Sunday, which would have led to disruptions in products distribution.
Aside from the NNPC and PTD, the meeting was also attended by representatives of the Association of Road Transport Owners (NARTO), Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR), Federal Ministry of Works, Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), Department of State Services (DSS), Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), and Nigeria Union of Petroleum & Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG).
The Group Managing Director, NNPC, Mele Kyari, said the meeting was a decisive step towards the actualization of his promise to sustaining the current smooth supply and distribution of petroleum products nationwide within the festive period and beyond.
A statement from by the Group General Manager, Group Public Affairs Division (GPAD), Garba Deen Muhammad, said the Tanker Drivers had agreed to accept the dialogue option proposed by Kyari.
Upon our fruitful deliberations today, the NNPC has pledged to support the PTD and NARTO in carrying out quick intervention fixes on some strategic bad spots identified to enable unhindered movement of trucks for transportation of petroleum products nationwide.
During the meeting, which was held at the Corporation’s headquarters in Abuja, stakeholders agreed on a framework for NNPC’s intervention in critical road rehabilitation through the Federal Government Tax Credit Scheme.
Established under Executive Order No. 7 of 2019, the Road Trust Fund Policy/Tax Credit Scheme gives private sector operators an opportunity to fund critical infrastructure with the Federal Government.
Kyari was quoted as saying: “We are committed to utilising the Federal Government’s Tax Credit Scheme to rebuild some of the affected roads in line with Mr. President’s Executive Order 7.
“Upon our fruitful deliberations today, the NNPC has pledged to support the PTD and NARTO in carrying out quick intervention fixes on some strategic bad spots identified to enable unhindered movement of trucks for transportation of petroleum products nationwide.”
Stakeholders also agreed to enforce mandatory installation of safety valves in all petroleum product trucks in the country effective February 1, 2022, with full commitment given by NARTO.
Furthermore, the meeting also frowned at the abuse of axle load or tonnage limits, with the NNPC agreeing to engage the Nigerian Customs Service for enforcement of preventing the importation of tanks that exceed 45,000 litres capacity.
