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FG’s Meeting With NARTO, Oil Marketers Ends In Deadlock

Published

2 years ago

February 19, 2024

The strike action embarked by members of the Nigerian Association of Road Transport Owners, NARTO, has continued into the second following the failure of the Federal Government, oil marketers to reach agreement with the transporters.

A meeting conveyed by the Minister of State Petroleum Resources (Oil), Senator Heineken Lokpobiri with NARTO, oil marketers and the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority, NMDPRA, in Abuja ended with an agreement.

Senator Lokpobiri told journalists that the meeting will continue as the government seeks to find a solution to issues raised by the transporters.

According to the Minister, “We have been having engagement with different stakeholders in the downstream petroleum industry based on some concerns which were raised. The engagements are still continuing and we hope that we will be able to find solutions to those concerns as soon as possible. Engagement will continue tonight till tomorrow.

“But it should be pointed out very clearly that they have demonstrated utmost good faith and patriotism. It should also be known that the issues have nothing to do with the government. It is basically commercial. But as a government we have decided to intervene so that Nigerians will not suffer unduly”, he added.

NARTO had threatened to stop the lifting of petrol over high cost of operation.

NARTO National President, Alhaji Yusuf Lawal Othman explained that the tanker owners have been recording huge losses due to high cost of operation which is no longer sustainable.

He explained that members would park their trucks from Monday “because what we spend on operation is more than what we get in total: both in local and bridging”.

He said: “We will have to suspend operations between now and Monday. We cannot continue to operate at a loss. Most people have parked. A lot more are going to park.

“But from the point of view of the association itself, we are going to suspend operations on Monday.”

Othman disclosed that NARTO’s efforts at soliciting the intervention of all the key stakeholders in the Federal Government and industry have not yielded positive results.

“We have written letters up to the level of the Chief of Staff. We have written to the Honourable Minister of State Petroleum Resources (Oil).

“We have written to DG SSS. We have written to the GCEO. We have written to the Authority Chief Executive. We have written to the Major Marketers, yet no response.”

He noted that the N32 Lagos to Abuja freight rate that was implemented while the dollar was N650 is still retained now that dollar is N1,615.

“Everybody is aware that all our consumables in terms of operation are not produced in the country. So, by virtue of the rate of dollars, every consumable has increased. But the freight they are paying us has been the same even during Buhari’s time.So how is that feasible?”

He explained further: “What I mean by local is if you load Lagos, you discharge in Lagos. And bridging is if you load from Lagos, you come to Abuja. Lagos to Lagos, we are paid N120,000.

“AGO alone to distribute fuel within Lagos is N140,000 because it is N1,400 per litre. So, they give you N120,000 and you spend N140,000. How do you want to operate? We are not talking about cost of vehicles, cost of loading, driver’s allowance. That is for local. For bridging Lagos to Abuja, they gave us N32.

“If you have a truck of 40,000 litres, you are talking of N1,280,000-N1,216,000. Less 5% of the amount of N1,280,000 Withholding Tax N64,000. Less 55,000 loading expenses and 15,000 driver allowance. Total expenses N134,000 while balance is N1,146,000. AGO is N1400 for 900 litres, totalling N1,260,000. There is a total loss of N114,000. The diesel that you use from Lagos to Abuja is 900 litres”, he added.
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Bodies Of Terrorists Float In River As Boko Haram Murders 200 ISWAP Fighters [VIDEO]

Published

2 hours ago

November 12, 2025

Editor

The supremacy battle between the Islamic State West Africa Province, ISWAP fighters and Boko Haram insurgents in the northern region has reportedly claimed about 200 lives of terrorists.

It was learnt that while about 200 ISWAP fighters were killed in the clash, four Boko Haram insurgents were also eliminated.

A counter-insurgency expert and security analyst Zagazola Makama disclosed this in a post on X, formerly Twitter, while sharing video of lifeless bodies of terrorists floating in a river.

“More bodies of ISWAP found after a deadly clash that resulted in the killing of 200 fighters by Boko Haram”, he wrote on X.

It was gathered that the rival clash took place on the shores of Lake Chad near Dogon Chiku in the Northeast on Sunday.

DAILY POST reports that since ISWAP began as a splinter group from Boko Haram in 2016, both factions have repeatedly clashed.

The Northeast has been one of the regions in the country that is highly bedeviled by the activities of the criminal elements.

Watch video here.

News

[JUST IN] Terrorism: Nnamdi Kanu Appeals For Stay Of Proceedings Ahead Of Nov 20 Judgment

Published

4 hours ago

November 12, 2025

Editor

The leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, has filed an application at the Court of Appeal, praying for a stay of further proceedings in his trial before Justice James Omotosho of Abuja Federal High Court.

In the motion, Kanu urged the Appeal Court to stay delivery of judgment pending the determination of the appeal.

Kanu’s appeal may impact the 20th November date fixed for delivery of judgment in the trial.

He filed the motion on notice in pursuant to section 36(1) of the Nigerian constitution.

Recall that Justice Omotosho had fixed November 20 to deliver judgement in Kanu’s terrorism trial.

But the IPOB had contested the charge, stressing that he can’t be tried on the basis of a repealed law, the terrorism act.

Details soon…

News

PAP Begins Second Phase Distribution Of Laptops To Scholarship Beneficiaries

Published

6 hours ago

November 12, 2025

Editor

The Presidential Amnesty Programme has commenced the second phase of the distribution of laptops to its scholarship beneficiaries who were deployed for the 2024/2025 academic year to universities within Nigeria.

The exercise, which followed the directive of the PAP Administrator, Dr Dennis Otuaro, is aimed at enhancing learning and research by the students in their various institutions.

A statement issued by Mr Igoniko Oduma, Special Assistant on Media to the Administrator, said
he first phase of the distribution was carried out between April and May, 2025, and over 663 final year scholarship beneficiaries received the mobile computing device.

During that exercise, the PAP also diligently undertook a physical verification and orientation programme for the beneficiaries in the resumption list for the 2024/2025 academic session.

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Speaking on the second phase of the distribution, Otuaro reiterated that his decision was informed by the usefulness of laptop to academic pursuit and overall success.

He also stated that the gesture was in fulfillment of his promise to the scholarship beneficiaries during his tour of partnering universities in 2024.

Otuaro expressed the hope that the mobile computing device would greatly support learning and research by the students and also help them achieve academic excellence.

He urged them to make good use of it and justify the Federal Government’s huge investment in their education.

The PAP boss also advised them to take their studies seriously and avoid acts capable of jeopardizing their academic pursuits and bright futures.

He said the PAP would continue to support the beneficiaries of the scholarship scheme to achieve academic excellence.

He restated his leadership’s unwavering commitment to implementing the programme’s objectives for the socio-economic advancement of the Niger Delta in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Tinubu.

Otuaro further expressed profound appreciation to the President for supporting the PAP wholeheartedly, stressing that it shows his sincere love for the region and his strong desire to close the human capital development gap in the area.

He urged the youths and people of the region to return the President’s gesture by giving his administration the expected support in all areas.

He assured the President of his leadership’s unwavering commitment to complementing the renewed hope agenda in the Niger Delta by consolidating on the programme’s achievements.