Stakeholders
in the petroleum sector at a public hearing organized by the Joint Senate
Committee on Petroleum Resources (Upstream and Downstream), resolved to
immediately mobilize their members to commence distribution of fuel across the
country. Senator Magnus Abe read a communiqué signed by the stakeholders after
the session on Monday. He explained that the Finance Minister Dr. Ngozi
Okonjo-Iweala, and other stakeholders, who attended the meeting, unanimously
agreed to the peace deal in the interest of the nation. He added that following
the intervention of the Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National
Petroleum Corporation, the strike embarked upon by the National Union of
Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers and the Petroleum and Energy Gas Senior Staff
Association of Nigeria, has also been called off. Abe said, “We have agreed on
the following: first is that the Minister of Finance will give an undertaking
to the Major Marketers and Depot Managers that the work of the committee being
headed by CBN and PPPRA, on the outstanding claims, would be concluded and be
reflected in the hand over notes to the incoming administration.” “Major Oil
Marketers Association of Nigeria have agreed to begin lifting of petroleum
products nationwide within the next six hours and to also pay the National
Association of Road Transport Owners, the transport cost that would be
determined by them,” the Senator added.