City, State/Country – E be like say tanker drivers and oil marketers dey catch their breath again o! Just one day before Dangote Petroleum Refinery go begin im direct fuel distribution scheme, tanker drivers and marketers don yan say dem don meet with the company. This meeting come as dem dey fear whether dem go fit still chop after Dangote launch im plan.
As the PUNCH report, Dangote refinery go kick off dis direct fuel distribution on Friday, August 15, after dem don receive some of the 4,000 Compressed Natural Gas (CNG)-powered trucks wey go assist dem. You fit imagine as the news scatter everywhere and even send shivers down the spine of tanker drivers and members of the Natural Oil and Gas Suppliers Association of Nigeria (NOGASA), as dem dey waka up and down dey fear say dem fit lose dem means of livelihood like say e be hot akara.
NOGASA quickly carry dem mouth talk say, “Abeg, no try am! Dis plan fit cause wahala wey fit lead to product scarcity and make dem go out of business.” Dem dey beg for dialogue make Dangote no just bypass dem like say na nothing. Dem dey remind Dangote say e no go fit handle nationwide distribution alone.
Bennett Korie, wey be NOGASA National President, don already call for President Bola Tinubu to come intervene sharp-sharp. Wetin be all these plans if e go make people dey suffer?
But no wahala, tanker drivers and marketers don meet with some people for Dangote side to talk about collaboration. According to the NOGASA spokesman, Chinedu Ukadike, dem don gree to work through existing channels with Dangote. E come clear say Dangote go sell fuel to bulk buyers wey go still distribute am, so as dem don talk, the fear of job losses dey reduce small.
Ukadike even drop the gist say Dangote gree say no be to end-users he dey sell fuel directly, but to NOGASA members. “E mean say we go still dey chop our money, no be so? We dey buy in bulk, and we go supply from there.” Dem dey register for Dangote portal like say na school dem dey join to be bulk buyers of im products, no be small.
The National Association of Road Transport Owners (NARTO) President, Yusuf Othman, also talk say consultations dey continue with stakeholders on dis whole matter. “We don meet Dangote and we go meet am again, we no dey rush anything,” he talk, though he no fit talk how di previous meeting go be. Stress dey oo!
On top the plans, Devakumar Edwin, the Vice President of Dangote Industries, say dis new CNG truck plan go help reduce logistics cost for fuel distribution. “We dey here to pass down dem benefits to Nigerian consumers as we dey ensure everything dey efficient. E no go displace any player,” he yarn give everybody hope. But na who go carry di wahala matter for head?
The tanker drivers go dey thrush dis matter and monitor everything well well, because nobody wan enter any kind gbege wey go disrupt dem business again. So now, na waiting we go see for the next episode as fuel dey hot and tanker drivers dey ready to fire back if e no balance well!
