The Depot and Petroleum Products Marketers Association (DAPPMA), said it has suspended its earlier directive to commence shutdown of depots across the country from loading petroleum products effective from 12-midnight yesterday.
The suspension directive was conveyed in a statement issued around 1.20am by DAPPMA’s executive secretary, Olufemi Adewole, yesterday in Lagos.
According to the statement, the association had issued a shutdown directive to its members following the continuing indebtedness of the federal government to petroleum marketers.
“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, DAPPAM.
“The union has resolved to recall its disengaged personnel for 5-days to give the federal government team the opportunity to conclude its process of paying marketers the full outstanding of N800 billion with the first tranche being the amount already approved by the Federal Executive Council (FEC)
“The association has acted in good faith to avoid unnecessary hardship which could befall Nigerians during the yuletide season and 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 shut down system, all depots with fuel stock should be fully active same day,’’ the statement said.
The statement said further that the conclusion of the debts payment would curtail the continuing wastage of public funds as interest accruing on the over N800 billion debt. “DAPPMA depots are therefore advised to commence loading operations immediately and await further notification in respect of our long overdue payment,” it added.
