The President of the Association of Distributors and Transporters of Petroleum Products (ADITOR), Lawal Muhammad Danzaki, yesterday said the members of the association, who are the owners of tankers transporting petroleum products across the country, are ready to address extortions of all forms at the nation’s depots.
The association said such extortions were contributing to the increase in the pump prices of the petroleum products at the filling stations.
Danzaki, who spoke after a stakeholders’ meeting in Abuja, said some people disguising under the umbrella of the National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) were extoring their tankers at the depots before allowing them to move petroleum products out.
He said each tanker, depending on the depot, is being charged between N300,000 and N500,000 per trip, adding that such is affecting the price consumers are getting the product at the filling stations.
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Chaired by the Etsu Nupe, Alhaji Yahaya Abubakar, the meeting gathered distributors and transporters to address issues plaguing the industry, particularly the perceived excess charges from NUPENG, which they claim are passed down to consumers.
He said, “Our primary concern is the various branches of NUPENG that impose multiple fees at the point of loading. This financial burden is what ultimately escalates the prices of fuel for everyday Nigerian.”
According to him, the situation had worsened since the government’s shift towards deregulation in the oil sector, which, while aimed at enhancing efficiency, appears to have been exploited by unions for financial gain.
“You can see how many branches have sprung up under NUPENG. Each collects fees, creating a labyrinth of added costs in an already struggling economy.
“It is imperative that these unnecessary expenses cease if we hope to see any reduction in fuel prices. The costs that we incur are directly related to these excessive charges, which we cannot absorb if we want to remain profitable,” he said.
During the meeting, Etsu Nupe, Alhaji Yahaya Abubakar, who is the patron of the association, called for regulatory reforms to prevent the extortion of transporters and to foster healthier relationships amongst stakeholders.
“It is crucial that we pursue regulatory frameworks that prevent defaulters from operating without accountability in this industry,” he said.
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