The fuel scarcity across the country is set to end soon, as Major Oil Marketers Association of Nigeria (MOMAN) yesterday agreed with the National Association of Road Transport Owners (NARTO) to suspend their strike.
MOMAN Executive Secretary, Femi Olawore disclosed this while speaking with newsmen on the ongoing impasse with the government over outstanding fuel subsidy payment.
He said that the marketers are owing members of the transport association about N20 billion and their inability to offset the debt prompted the suspension of the lifting of products. But with the government’s release of N154 billion to marketers as part payment of the subsidy, they had in turn offset part of the debt they owed the transporters and lifting will now resume.
However, Olawore said that government was yet to redeem N200 billion it is owing the marketers as subsidy payment.
According to him, the marketers, with the understanding of NARTO members, had given the government a grace of two weeks to settle the remaining payments.
“We have scheduled to meet with the Coordinating Minister of the Economy on Monday, but if the meeting fails to address the issue we have tabled, then we will continue with the action,” he warned.
While he expressed the readiness of the marketers to cooperate with the government, Olawore warned that unless the payment was made in two weeks, the strike would continue.
