Distributors of Petroleum products in Nigeria under the umbrella of the Association of Distributors and Transporters of Petroleum Products (ADITOP) kicked against the alleged increase of truck loading fees for petrol by the Petroleum Tanker Drivers Association (PTD).
This was disclosed by its National President, Alhaji Lawal Dan-Zaki in a statement in Abuja on Thursday.
They cite an “arbitrary increase” of loading fees, which they claim is an alarming abuse and impunity, of levies imposed by the PTD.
Loading fees
The Association of Distributors and Transporters of Petroleum Products (ADITOP) in a statement in Abuja on Thursday said one of the major concerns of the association is the alleged alarming abuse, impunity, and arbitrary increase of levies imposed by the PTD, they said:
- “At present, the PTD collects N60,000 per truck for loading and is planning a further increase.
- ”We in the ADITOP vehemently oppose this. This exorbitant increase places an undue burden on the already struggling general public and serves no productive purpose at this critical juncture in the downstream sector,”
Unpatriotic charges
Alhaji Lawal Dan-Zaki noted that ADITOP firmly believes no association in the oil and gas industry should be permitted to collect unreasonable levies per truck of PMS, he added:
- “By doing so, the association aims to restore a fair and just system that promotes cooperation and sustainability across the industry.
- “Due to these unpatriotic and illegal collections, the members of ADITOP wish to inform the general public and all stakeholders in the downstream sector of Nigeria’s oil and gas industry that the association will soon commence nationwide operations.
- “This will include but not be limited to nationwide road service and safety measures for members in addition to the collection of levies.
They added they will not stand by and allow this blatant impunity against our members to persist, urging the FG to intervene promptly and halt the petroleum tanker drivers from terrorising other stakeholders in the oil industry.
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Multiple Nigerian transport unions have called on the FG to reign in on the rising costs of doing business which can be attributed to the removal of fuel subsidy.
Nairametrics recently reported that Ride-hailing drivers in Nigeria, operating under the umbrella of the Amalgamated Union of App-Based Transport Workers of Nigeria (AUATWON), urged the Federal Government to reconsider the removal of fuel subsidies.
They argue that this decision has significantly exacerbated the hardships faced by their members.
They also claimed that with the removal of subsidy app-based transport workers are “ subsidizing” their own transport fares.
They said they are facing the worst hardships of their lives as a result of the removal as they contend with fixed rates, adding:
- “App-based transport workers in Nigeria are facing the worst hardship of their lives as a result of fuel subsidy removal and lack of ability to adjust our transport price anytime there is an increase in the price of fuel just the way other transporters can quickly adjust to the reality.
- “The app companies Uber, Bolt, Lagride, Indriver and others fix the price and their commission, leaving the drivers to their losses; the situation of our drivers today is that we are the ones subsidising the transport fare for the riders in Nigeria.”
