Employers, Labour Angry Over Unending Fuel Scarcity
•Lament loss of productive man-hour
•Decry disruption of business operations, increased operational costs
•Demand immediate action to normalise supplies
Private sector employers in Nigeria yesterday decried the unending scarcity of the Premium Motor Spirit, PMS, commonly known as petrol across the country, saying ongoing disruption of businesses across diverse sectors, escalating transportation and logistical bottlenecks have progressively led to increased operational costs, among others.
The employers, under the platform of the Nigeria Employers’ Consultative Association, NECA, expressed concern at the persistent queues for petrol at most filling stations in the country, amid dwindling productivity and economic activities.
Speaking in Lagos, the Director-General, Mr Adewale-Smatt Oyerinde, said: “Like a sore that has refused to heal, the recurrent issue of fuel scarcity has reared up its ugly head again, notwithstanding the removal of fuel subsidy.
”The fuel subsidy removal among other things was supposed to liberalize the market and ensure free flow of the product. The ongoing scarcity, with attendant loss of productive man hours as a result of endless hours spent at filling stations defies logic.
”The ongoing disruption of businesses across diverse sectors, escalating transportation and logistical bottlenecks has progressively led to increased operational costs.
“Notwithstanding the recent assessments by the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, and petroleum stakeholders, which identified panic buying and unethical practices as primary contributors to the ongoing fuel crisis, there is the urgent need for coordinated action, proposing strategic interventions to address the fuel scarcity and fortify organizational resilience.
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