The Petroleum Outlets Outlet House owners Affiliation of Nigeria has advised its contributors to chorus from shutting unwell their operations over the non-payment of the N100bn bridging claims.
On Monday, the Detached Petroleum Entrepreneurs Affiliation of Nigeria issued a seven-day blackmail to the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority to pay the bridging claims owed entrepreneurs amounting to N100bn or face an commercial motion.
Just like the equalisation charity, bridging claims constitute the price of transporting gasoline from the Pipelines and Merchandise Advertising Corporate depots to authorized zones to safeguard a uniform worth around the nation.
Alternatively, PETROAN advised its contributors that in lieu of halting operations, the affiliation is advocating for discussion to get to the bottom of the exceptional bridging claims factor with the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority.
A observation through PETROAN spokesman, Joseph Obele, mentioned on Tuesday that the directive adopted an extremity nationwide government assembly hung on Tuesday.
“While acknowledging the frustration and concerns of its members regarding the unpaid bridging claims totalling N100bn, PETROAN firmly believes that a shutdown would have devastating consequences, including fuel scarcity, economic disruption, and hardship for the Nigerian people,” he mentioned.
Obele maintained that as resolved within the endmost stakeholders assembly chaired through the Minister of Circumstance for Petroleum Assets, Heineken Lokpobiri, PETROAN reaffirms its loyalty to discussion in lieu than an commercial motion.
“The affiliation urges all events to have interaction in optimistic engagement and good-faith negotiations to get to the bottom of the problem.
“Through dialogue, we believe that all parties can identify mutually beneficial solutions; build trust and strengthen relationships; avoid costly and damaging shutdowns; ensure the continued stability and growth of the downstream petroleum sector,” the spokesman mentioned.
PETROAN additionally recommended President Bola Tinubu’s efforts to reform the petroleum sector, pronouncing he’s selling transparency, duty, and monetary expansion.
“The affiliation encourages all stakeholders to assistance and inspire those reforms, in lieu than sabotaging them.
“Moreover, we inspire the government accountable to facilitate the advised price of remarkable bridging claims to our contributors. This will likely support to relieve the monetary burden on our contributors and safeguard the ongoing easy operation of the downstream petroleum sector.
“Under the leadership of our National President, Dr Billy Gillis-Harry, PETROAN remains committed to promoting the stability and growth of the downstream petroleum sector through dialogue, cooperation, and innovative solutions. We urge our members to remain calm and law-abiding while we engage with NMDPRA and other stakeholders to find a lasting solution to the issue,” Obele concluded.