The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation has blamed the current petroleum products distribution hitch on the strike action by the National Association of Road Transport Owners and the Petroleum Tanker Drivers who have refused to lift petroleum products from the coastal depots in protest of the huge amounts they are being owed by the major marketers.
The Corporation which stated this in a press statement made available to journalists appealed to NARTO and PTD to call off the strike in the interest of the country and not unleash unnecessary hardship on Nigerians.
Long queues have returned to petrol stattions in major cities accross the country which is fueling specutlations that the federal government is owing companies importing petrol into the country.
The statement added that the NNPC has sufficient stock of petrol at its coastal depots in Port Harcourt , Warri, and Calabar besides the stock it holds in the national strategic reserves.
NNPC said it has enough stock of petrol to service the country for 27 days at a national consumption rate of 40m litres per day.
