BREAKING: Tanker drivers commence strike as FG, NARTO meeting deadlocked

The meeting of the federal government, the Nigerian Association of Road Transport Owners (NARTO), and other stakeholders yesterday ended with no agreement reached.

The meeting was called by the government over the suspension of operations by tanker drivers who stopped lifting of petroleum products yesterday amid harsh economic realities, reports Channels TV.

The TNT news reports that from all indications as observed by our correspondent, the tanker drivers have made do their threat of commencing a nationwide strike action.

But the Minister of State for Petroleum Heineken Lokpobiri said the engagement will continue today as the government would not fold its arms and allow Nigerians to go through more hardship as being witnessed.

He explained that the Tinubu-led administration is working round the clock to address the current economic challenges in the country.

There were indications that the NARTO leadership and other stakeholders within the oil and gas sector are billed to meet with the National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu for another meeting later last night to avert the imminent fuel scarcity.

NARTO members had threatened shutdown all over the country beginning yesterday over the high cost of Automotive Gas Oil also known as diesel which is used to fuel their trucks for the movement of petroleum products across Nigeria.

Like Premium Motor Spirit popularly known as petrol which now sells at over N600 per litre, the price of diesel has skyrocketed of late, no thanks to the forex crisis in the country. At the moment, diesel sells above N1,250 per litre in Nigeria.