The face-off between the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) and Dangote Refinery over the dismissal of more than 800 workers has triggered a shortage of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
Media reports indicate that since Sunday, the union has halted gas supply to the refinery, and checks by The Nation on Tuesday revealed that most petrol stations in the FCT were shut down.
Meanwhile, black marketers were sighted selling the product at various points, including the Conoil station opposite the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) in the Central Business District.
According to The Nation, “the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) National President, Alhaji Abubakar Maigandi, said the scarcity was due to the cut of supply from the Dangote Refinery.”
He noted that Dangote remains the sole supplier of petrol, and loading activities at the plant have slowed down.
Maigandi added that private depots in Lagos have increased the pump price to N980 per litre.
He appealed to both sides to quickly resolve their disagreement in the interest of the nation’s economy.
In the same vein, Chief Chinedu Ukadike, National Public Relations Officer of the Natural Oil and Gas Suppliers Association of Nigeria (NOGASA), confirmed that the shortage was solely linked to the Dangote and PENGASSAN standoff.
He also called on the federal government to urgently intervene and restore normalcy.
