Fuel depot owners suspend shutdown directive

Barely five hours after it announced the directive to its members to shut down their depots by midnight on Sunday, the Depot and Petroleum Products Marketers Association of Nigeria has suspended the shutdown of operations.

The suspension was conveyed in a statement issued around 1.20am on Monday by the Executive Secretary, DAPPMAN, Mr Olufemi Adewole.

He noted that the earlier directive was issued following the continuing indebtedness of the Federal Government to its members.

“However, following the intervention of well-meaning Nigerians including the National Assembly, as represented by the Senate Committee on Petroleum (Downstream) and constructive engagement of the Federal Government team by the labour unions most affected by the disengagement of our personnel, namely, PENGASSAN, NUPENG, NARTO, and the PTD, DAPPMAN has resolved to recall its disengaged personnel for five days to give the FG’s team the opportunity to conclude its process of paying marketers the full outstanding of N800bn with the first tranche being the amount already approved by the Federal Executive Council,” Adewole said.

He said the association had acted in good faith to avoid unnecessary hardship which could befall Nigerians during the yuletide season.

He added, “We hope that government would make good its promise to see that those issues are resolved by Friday, December 14, 2018, as promised.

“To this end, our disengaged personnel would be recalled on Monday,  December 10 and considering the reactivation time or hitherto shutdown system, all depots with fuel stock should be fully active same day.”

According to Adewole, the conclusion of the debts payment would curtail the continuing wastage of public funds as interest accruing on the over N800bn debt.

“DAPPMAN depots  are, therefore, advised to commence loading operations immediately and await further notification in respect of our long overdue payment.”