The crippling scarcity of premium motor spirit also known as fuel has entered its second day. This is as transportation fares jumped to a 75% per cent high on Thursday.
With few cars on the roads, commuters were seen in several parts of the oil city trekking to meet up with their daily business.
The National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) said on Wednesday that the scarcity will continue until the Army releases trucks of its members, drivers and conductor that were detained.
NUPENG National Treasurer, Comrade Alex Agwanwor, who stated this to our correspondent, Tina Amanda, said the Union decided to withdraw its truck drivers from operation in order to avoid further arrests and detention by security agencies.
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According to him, the pathetic situation was avoidable as the Union did its best to prevent the sudden fuel scarcity which will cause untold hardship to residents of the state.
“The situation was avoidable and unfortunate one. All the same, efforts are being made to resolve it.
”We have asked our members to relax pending when issues are resolved, let all the Stakeholders, agencies, state government make an effort to see that our NUPENG trucks, drivers and conductors arrested are released.
“We withdrew the services of our truck drivers in order to avoid further arrests and detention by security agencies”
On his part, National Public Relation Officer of NUPENG, Comrade Chinedu Ukadike, said the decision reached on 16th February for security agencies and the State governments to release the union’s trucks in detention by 17th February is yet to be carried out, stressing that it is the reason for their withdrawal of services.
“It is quite unfortunate that the public misinterpreted what we did. We did not shut down, we just decided to withdraw our services so that people will understand the burden we marketers are bearing in terms of distributing petroleum products in the state. The incessant harassment of security agencies and government officials on our personnel, equipment and trucks is unbearable.
”We agreed on 16th February to commence our services in line with the agreement reached by security agencies, Rivers State government, the Union, but up till now they are yet to meet that agreement of releasing our trucks, drivers and conductors in detention”
Meanwhile, our correspondent who moved round the Port Harcourt city, observed that filling stations have shut down their services, transporters have hiked prices and most commercial motorist are complaining of a shortage of petrol in their vehicles.
