Oil marketing companies under the aegis of the Major Oil Marketers Association of Nigeria (MOMAN) are planning to embark on a nationwide strike in a few days’ time over the unpaid N356billion the federal government owes them, The Nation reported.
Femi Olawore, MOMAN’s executive secretary, stated that the firms were running out of stock and the hope of getting money for importation to replenish their stock was not feasible. He announced that Apapa stock would run out in the next three and a half days.
Olawore noted that the body had written to the minister of petroleum resources, Deazani Alison-Madueke, on the issue of paying the debt to enable the firms get enough money to import petroleum products.
He added that it had become imperative for the firms to embark on a strike in order to press home their demands, adding that the plan to strike was not politically motivated.
According to him:“The body would have embarked on strike during the electioneering, but had to stop to avoid a situation where people would be reading political meanings to their actions. Marketers were pushing for the strike because they had been pushed to the wall by the government.The association had agreed to reduce its operation drastically, following the government’s refusal to meet its debt obligations.Out motive is not political at all because many people would be asking this question: Why is major marketers planning strike action now? It is just that we can no longer continue to be owed by the government.Our operation has been grounded to a halt, hence the strike. Part of our resolves is to streamline our operation by cutting down cost of staff welfare, shut down our outlets across the country and others , if the government fails to meet our demands.”
“Imagine a situation whereby major oil marketers are battling to survive. Before, we are supplying 60 per cent of fuel in the market, but now supply has reduced to 40 per cent because there was not enough money for importation,’’ he argued.
The firms concerned are Oando, Total, MRS, Conoil, Forte Oil and Mobil.
READ MORE: http://www.naij.com/427712-n356bn-unpaid-subsidy-debt-marketers-vow-to-shut-down-operation.html
Olawore noted that the body had written to the minister of petroleum resources, Deazani Alison-Madueke, on the issue of paying the debt to enable the firms get enough money to import petroleum products.
He added that it had become imperative for the firms to embark on a strike in order to press home their demands, adding that the plan to strike was not politically motivated.
According to him:“The body would have embarked on strike during the electioneering, but had to stop to avoid a situation where people would be reading political meanings to their actions. Marketers were pushing for the strike because they had been pushed to the wall by the government.The association had agreed to reduce its operation drastically, following the government’s refusal to meet its debt obligations.Out motive is not political at all because many people would be asking this question: Why is major marketers planning strike action now? It is just that we can no longer continue to be owed by the government.Our operation has been grounded to a halt, hence the strike. Part of our resolves is to streamline our operation by cutting down cost of staff welfare, shut down our outlets across the country and others , if the government fails to meet our demands.”
“Imagine a situation whereby major oil marketers are battling to survive. Before, we are supplying 60 per cent of fuel in the market, but now supply has reduced to 40 per cent because there was not enough money for importation,’’ he argued.
The firms concerned are Oando, Total, MRS, Conoil, Forte Oil and Mobil.
READ MORE: http://www.naij.com/427712-n356bn-unpaid-subsidy-debt-marketers-vow-to-shut-down-operation.html
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