Following intervention of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC), the Nigerian Association of Road Transport Owners (NARTO), National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) and Petroleum Tanker Drivers (PTD) have suspended their planned strike.

The parties also pledged collaboration on ensuring of petroleum products.

The suspension notice was made known in a communique following a critical stakeholders engagement between the NNPC Ltd., the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), PTD, NARTO, and NUPENG on Thursday, in Abuja.

The communique was jointly signed by Malam Mele Kyari, Group Managing Director, NNPC, Otunba Salmon Oladiti, National Chairman PTD , Mr Yusuf Otthman, NARTO President Comrade Williams Akporeha, NUPENG President and Abiodun Adeniji, Executive Director, Finance and Admin, NMDPRA.

NUPENG and PTD had planned to embark on strike following allegations that officials of the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing were diverting the fund provided by NNPC Limited for the rehabilitation of 21 critical highways.

On Road Rehabilitation, the communique said NNPC provided updates on the current status of the road construction and rehabilitation projects under the road infrastructure tax credit scheme.

It said the NNPC assured the stakeholders that the funding earmarked for the 21 critical roads would be applied for the intended purpose only.

Source: NAN