Chief Emeka Wogu, the Minister of Labour and Productivity, on Thursday allayed fears about fuel scarcity in the country.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that fuel queues were noticed in some filling stations in Abuja on Thursday, but Wogu said it was panic buying due to unfounded speculations.
He told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that the unfounded speculation was as a result of the blockage of the Lagos-Ibadan expressway by articulated vehicle drivers who were protesting the shooting of their tyres by gunmen.
Wogu said the blockage denied fuel tanker drivers access to supply fuel and that the scarcity was not caused by any union’s strike as none in the oil and gas was on strike.
“The present queues of vehicles at petrol stations were based on unfounded speculations.
“My answer is that, no union in any name is on strike. The presence of vehicles at filling stations might be part of rumour mongering, out of unguided speculation and this usually cause panic buying.
“No union is on strike but it is because the tanker drivers locked the Lagos-Ibadan expressway at Ogere.’’
Wogu said that his ministry had reached out to the Chairman of the Tanker Drivers, Dr Timothy Ogboru, to prevail on his members to allow peace to reign.
“Right now, the chairman of the tankers union told me that the issues have been resolved, and the FRSC has also announced that the road has been cleared.
“This is because of the prompt intervention of the ministry and the prompt action of the union chairman, and the tankers caught up in the lock-up are already heading up North.’’
The minister commended the union chairman for his prompt action when the ministry intervened.
He advised motorists in Abuja to stop panic buying and urge “those spreading rumours that NUPENG and PENGASAN are on strike to desist from doing so’’. ?
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