Fuel Crisis Looms As Drivers Stop Loading, Allege Harassment
There is looming gas shortage in Lagos and different elements of Nigeria as tanker drivers have stopped gas loading over alleged harassment with the aid of using officers of the Lagos State Government and the Federal Ministry of Transportation.
Also, telecommunications corporations have raised issues over a probable community blackout because the strike with the aid of using petroleum tanker drivers ought to disrupt diesel deliver , threatening the operations of cellular and net offerings .
The PUNCH found out that the truck drivers couldn’t load gas on Saturday and Sunday, growing fears of shortage in Lagos and different states.
However, the Lagos State Government stated it turned into most effective implementing its e-call-up device , caution that tries to blackmail the nation authorities might now no longer work.
The e-call-up device is a virtual platform that manages the motion of vehicles withinside the Lekki-Epe hall of Lagos. The device turned into released in September 2024 to assist lessen visitors congestion
In an interview with certainly considered one among our correspondents, the National President of the Nigerian Association of Road Transport Owners, Yusuf Othman, stated contributors of his affiliation have been frequently crushed and pressured with the aid of using authorities officers for no acknowledged reason.
According to him, vehicles have been being seized and broken with the aid of using the authorities officers , including that he might now no longer understand if there might be gas loading on Monday (today).
“The hassle we’ve got now could be that the tax pressure in Lagos State has towed our vehicles and they may be beating our drivers, They broken the car of the union. So, due to that, there has been no loading yesterday (Saturday and there’s no loading today (Sunday). I don’t understand whether or not there can be any shape of loading day after today in Lagos environment. The union and the tax pressure are annoying us,” Othman stated.
Asked if this will now no longer cause gas shortage , he replied, “Well, I wouldn’t understand , however I understand there has been no loading yesterday, there’s no loading today, and there won’t be day after today . And all is due to this Lagos tax pressure .
“They are busy accumulating our vehicles, giving fines and whatever. I don’t understand how they’ll perform with out gas vehicles . There isn’t anyt any refinery or depot in any area that may perform with out a car with the intention to come and take merchandise from them. So, they need to discover a manner of making sure that all of us co-exist peacefully,” he stated.
The NARTO president stated this doesn’t relate to the ban on 60,000 vehicles .
“It’s completely a extraordinary thing. It’s a tax pressure from the Lagos State Government and the Federal Ministry of Transport,” he disclosed.
LASG replies
Reacting, the Lagos State Government emphasized that the authorities turned into making efforts to sanitise visitors alongside the street to the Dangote Petroleum Refinery.
The Permanent Secretary, Lagos State Ministry of Transportation, Wale Musa, stated the nation authorities might now no longer permit tanker drivers to show the location to some other Apapa which was characterized with the aid of using big gridlocks withinside the past.
“I am conscious that a few enforcement turned into completed on the Dangote refinery axis. If it’s miles the identical issue, the enforcement is to make certain compliance with our e-call-up device .
“We won’t permit them to show that area into some other Apapa. Their strive at blackmail will now no longer suffice. We urge willful compliance for everybody’s sake,” Musa stated in a chat.
Telcos worry blackout
Telecommunication corporations expressed difficulty over a looming community blackout as the continuing strike with the aid of using petroleum tanker drivers ought to disrupt diesel deliver , threatening the operations of cellular and net offerings .
The Association of Telecommunications Companies of Nigeria, which represents most important operators, warned that the strike ought to reason big provider disruptions if the diesel scarcity persists.
“If diesel deliver is disrupted, it’s going to effect community operations due to the fact telcos depend on diesel to electricity their webweb sites nearly each day ,” ATCON President, Tony Emoekpere, instructed The PUNCH on Sunday.
“While many webweb sites have reserve tanks, a few are already at essential deliver levels. If there’s no instantaneously intervention, offerings can be affected.”
Telecommunications vendors consisting of MTN, Airtel, Globacom, and 9mobile do now no longer control their base stations directly. Instead, they depend on infrastructure corporations like IHS Towers, American Tower Company, and Pan African Towers, which keep and electricity those webweb sites the usage of diesel generators.
Emoekpere careworn the pressing want for contingency measures to shield essential telecom infrastructure.
“This state of affairs wasn’t deliberate for. Even in instances like this, there must be mechanisms in area to make certain telecom offerings aren’t compromised. Telecom infrastructure is essential countrywide infrastructure and must now no longer be left vulnerable,” he stated .
He referred to that infrastructure corporations have already mentioned problems in securing diesel, prompting ATCON to elevate the alarm. “We don’t look ahead to a complete shutdown earlier than taking action; that is a preventive measure,” he added.
In a separate statement, ATCON has referred to as at the governors of Lagos and Ogun states to facilitate the discharge of diesel from depots to telecom operators to save you in addition deterioration of the state of affairs .
“This isn’t always only a telecom issue— it’s miles a countrywide emergency that might cripple financial sports and compromise public safety,” Emoekpere stated .
The affiliation additionally entreated protection companies and petroleum unions to unexpectedly solve the disaster to guard Nigeria’s telecommunications infrastructure.
If diesel deliver isn’t always restored soon, hundreds of thousands of subscribers ought to revel in provider disruptions, affecting each groups and people who depend on strong conversation networks for each day operations, he argued.
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