The National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) said the traffic gridlock in the Apapa area of Lagos State will continue until the scarcity of petrol is resolved. It said that petrol tankers across the country were loading at Apapa depots.
South-West Chairman of the union, Tokunbo Korodo told newsmen yesterday that NNPC depots had not been loading because of the activities of vandals.
He said that tanker drivers were now coming to private depots in Lagos to carry fuel. Korodo said that the traffic gridlock would have been checked if NNPC was using the over 50 private depots in Lagos to distribute the product.
“At present NNPC is using only six private depots in Lagos to distribute the product and they are all in the Apapa axis.
“They are Capital Oil and Gas, The Joe Oil and Gas, Folawiyo Oil and Gas, Eternal Oil and Gas, Wisco Oil and Gas and Nipco Oil and Gas.
“All these depots are in Apapa. Petrol tankers are coming from all states of the federation to Apapa for loading.
“Presently, Apapa is the only solution to the country’s petroleum problem.
“Until the scarcity is over, traffic gridlock is inevitable in Apapa,” he said.
The union chairman said that the officials of Petroleum Tanker Drivers (PTD) were working with the Lagos State Transport Manaagement Authority (LASTMA) to ease the gridlock.
He assured the Federal Government that the tanker drivers would ensure that the product was not diverted.
“The PTD will ensure that we work round the clock to get the products to their different locations on time.
“We are now appealing to NNPC to increase loading depots because drivers are spending close to a week before being loaded,” he said.
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