Depots in Apapa, Lagos, might run out of fuel if the ongoing strike by the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) is allowed to go on beyond Wednesday, the Punch reports.
Due to the industrial action embarked by PENGASSAN on Thursday, loading at Apapa, a major oil depot within the country, has been reduced because of the absences of staff of the Petroleum Equalisation Fund Board (PEF), which certify the trucks used by Independent Marketers.
Speaking on the issue, the Chairman, Trade Union Congress (TUC), Rivers State chapter, Chika Onuegbu, said, “I think the main impact will be this week when production facilities, export terminals and gas supply to power plants will be shut down. It will affect the government’s revenue significantly. I pray we don’t get to that extent, because the economy is already in a bad shape.
“That is why the government should act fast and engage the union to resolve the issues.”
An official of an independent marketing company in Lagos told Punch that, “Terminal owners can only load what is in their tanks, but they cannot receive any product now from vessels. If they finish what is in their tanks now and bring in any vessel, the Department of Petroleum Resources is not going to certify it for discharge. They do a lot of tests on any product that comes to Apapa.”
“That is how it is going to affect the supply in Lagos if the strike lingers on. Depots in Apapa should finish their stock on or before Wednesday. I don’t see any depot that will still have stock after Wednesday in Apapa.”
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