The Nigerian Association of Road Transport Owners (NARTO) vowed to stop lifting petroleum products from next week Monday as a result of the high cost of operations. Members of the Association have repeatedly complained about the high cost of diesel needed to power their trucks for the transportation of petroleum products nationwide, adding that their operating at a loss. This development was made known on Thursday in a statement issued by NARTO’s National President, Yusuf Othman.
He said, “We will have to suspend operations latest on Monday. We cannot continue to operate at a loss. Most people have parked. A lot more are going to park. We are going to suspend operations on Monday.
“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 consumables has increased. But the freight they are paying us has been the same even during Buhari’s time. So how is that feasible?
“During Buhari’s time, one dollar was N650. Today, a dollar is N1,615. The average freight from Lagos to Abuja is N32.
“AGO (diesel) 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. So, how do you want to operate? Talk less of cost of vehicles, cost of loading, driver’s allowance.”
According to him, the Association has written letters to several organizations and people but have gotten no response.
He said, “We have written letters up to the level of the Chief of Staff to the President. We have written to the Minister of Petroleum Resources (Oil).
“We have written to the Director-General of SSS. We have written to NNPC’s boss. We have written to the NMDPRA. We have written to the major marketers.”
