Petroleum marketers withdraw threat to strike

…Reassure members of the public of availability of petroleum products Petroleum marketers have bowed to pressure and suspended their threat to go on strike after a joint meeting with the Federal Government. Special Adviser to the Minister of Finance on Media and Communications, Paul Ella, stated that the marketers at a meeting on Thursday agreed on settlement of outstanding claims and assured that operations at all depots and sales will continue. According to Ella, the agreement was contained in a statement jointly signed by officials of the Federal Government led by the Minister of Finance, Mrs. Zainab Shamsuna Ahmed, who was represented by the Ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Dr. Mahmoud Isa-Dutse and representatives of the petroleum marketers in Abuja. The meeting which was held at the Federal Ministry of Finance in Abuja with other senior government officials from Federal Ministry of Finance, the Debt Management Office (DMO), the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), the Budget Office of the Federation, the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation and the Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency (PPPRA) in attendance. Also in attendance on the part of the petroleum marketers were representatives from the Depot and Petroleum Products Marketers Association (DAPPMA), Major Oil Marketers Association of Nigeria (MOMAN) and Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN). While expressing satisfaction over the arrangement being made by the Federal Government to settle their claims, the petroleum marketers assured the members of the public of availability of petroleum products. The statement reads: “The Depot and Petroleum Products Marketers Association (DAPPMA), Major Oil Marketers Association of Nigeria (MOMAN) and Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) with the Federal Government delegation meeting held at the Federal Ministry Finance in Abuja on Thursday, December 6, 2018, agreed that operations at all depots and sales will continue. “After a meeting held today, Thursday, December 6, 2018, with senior Government officials from the Federal Ministry of Finance, the Debt Management Office, the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, the Central Bank of Nigeria, the Budget Office of the Federation, the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation and the Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency, we are satisfied with the arrangements being made by the Government to settle the claims of petroleum marketers. “The discussions showed that the Government has considered the concerns and is reviewing the initial process approved by the Government for the settlement. We consider that this shows the Government’s responsiveness to the need for the claims to be settled in a timely manner. “We hereby wish to reassure the members of the public on the availability of PMS. We urge the public not to panic, as there will be no fuel scarcity. “The engagement of the two sides will continue on Monday, December 10, 2018.” Mathew Dadiya, Abuja