ABUJA — The Nigerian Association of Road Transport Owners (NARTO) has declared full support for the planned shutdown of petrol distribution by the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG), set to begin on Monday, September 8, in protest against alleged anti-labour practices by Dangote Refinery.
In a statement issued on Sunday, NARTO President, Yusuf Lawal Othman, accused Dangote Refinery of attempting to edge out thousands of independent transporters through its plan to roll out 4,000 compressed natural gas (CNG) trucks, a move that NUPENG claims will sideline its members.
“The Nigerian Association of Road Transport Owners (NARTO) wishes to notify all stakeholders and the general public of its firm position in support of NUPENG in the ongoing struggle against monopolistic and anti-competition practices being advanced by the Dangote Group in the downstream oil and gas sector,” the association said.
NARTO warned that the refinery’s distribution model was “a deliberate attempt to eliminate” independent operators, noting that its members alone run over 30,000 trucks nationwide and provide employment for thousands of drivers, assistants, and service providers who support millions of dependants.
The association stressed that such an approach would not only threaten livelihoods but also undermine national security and the stability of the petroleum distribution network.
It called on the Federal Government, relevant ministries, the Office of the National Security Adviser (NSA), and Dangote Group to immediately convene a stakeholder dialogue to prevent disruption in the supply of petroleum products.
“Our collective action is not against investment or industrial growth,” NARTO added, “but against monopolistic practices that threaten jobs, national security, and the broader Nigerian economy.”
With NARTO and NUPENG aligning against Dangote Refinery, Nigeria faces the prospect of a crippling fuel distribution shutdown beginning Monday.
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