Fuel supply in Rivers State may be cut off from Monday, February 17, 2020, if deteriorating developments are not arrested on time.
By actions allegedly planned Major Marketers, Independent Marketers association of Nigeria (IPMAN) and the Tanker Drivers Association (TDA) of the National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers of Nigeria (NUPENG), all petrol stations will be shut down beginning from Monday.
In a trending message called ‘Important Notice’, the said associations mentioned issues in contention as ‘consistent arrest of genuine trucks/products’, multiple taxation, and ‘activities of taskforces’. They said the list was longer than this.
A tanker driver who spoke with our reporter said the strike started last Friday at a low key but that a full-blown shut down would begin on Monday.
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He said taskforces impound their trucks claiming they carried illegally refined (kpofire) fuel, which he said was not true. He said tanker drivers have resolved to park their tankers unless their detained members were released.
Efforts to confirm from the IPMAN leadership all Saturday evening failed. The deputy chairman in the state, Debens Dimkpa, could not be drawn into a discussion due to bad network but the public relations officer said they were yet to get clear order on it.
