By Baron Ike
To forestall a work to rule being planned by tanker drivers, the Federal Government has announced the immediate raise in the bridging cost sum payable to petroleum product marketers.
The tanker drivers were to have commenced an indefinite strike on Monday, April 3 should the federal government not intervened through the meeting to avert a full blown strike.
Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Maikanti Baru, who took the decision said the allowance was raised from the current N6.20 per litre to N7.20 with immediate effect.
There are fears the decision could trigger a fresh round of fuel crises if not properly handled by the government.
Bridging cost is the allowance paid to marketers for the movement of petroleum products from the depots where the products are stored to retail outlets across Nigeria.
Baru spoke in Abuja at the meeting between NNPC management and leaders of the Petroleum Tankers Drivers (PTD), section of the Nigerian Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) during his opening remarks.
He told the assembly which included representatives of the National Association of Transport Owners (NARTO), the employers of the drivers, that the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Ibe Kachikwu, had already okayed the raise in the allowance.
Baru said the decision to increase the bridging cost was a goodwill gesture by the federal government led by President Muhammadu Buhari, resolve all issues affecting the smooth operations of the marketers.
His words: “I’m happy to announce to you that the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Ibe Kachikwu, has just approved the increase of bridging cost allowance from N6.20k to N7.20k.
“This is a good platform for you all to discuss the issues. We expect that with this, you will call off the strike immediately.
“I plead with you to ensure that your discussions should be guided by national and not personal interest.”