NEDU MARK, Yenagoa
Following the scarcity of petrol which hit parts of Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital, as well as Yenagoa, the Bayelsa State capital, findings indicate that petrol station operators now sell the commodity at N200 per litre, instead of the approved pump price of N87 per litre.
The development comes as leadership of the National Union Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG), the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association (PENGASSAN) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC), Rivers State chapters, signed a communiqué to end the strike actions and commence loading of products.
The strike action which had also caused the hike in pump price of petrol, had forced consumers to patronize the black markets at N250 per litre.
Chairman, TUC, Rivers state, Comrade Hyginus Chika Onuegbu assured that loading and distribution of petroleum products that was suspended due to the strike actions will now resume in both states.
The communiqué signed by NUPENG, PENGASSAN, TUC, Management of Weatherford and Government of Rivers State over Redundancy Dispute and Suspension of Strike Action by the Unions, stated that ‘the loading and distribution of petroleum products that was suspended due to the strike will now resume and normalcy will return in Rivers State.’
The strike had paralyzed socio -economic activities in Port Harcourt and Yenagoa as civil servants and school children trekked long distances to work and schools.
The strike action had also forced commuters to pay increased transport fares from N50 per drop to N100.
Commuters paid N1,500 from Port Harcourt to Yenagoa instead of N1000, while private homes charges between N100 to N200 for owners of laptops, handsets, and electrical appliances to charge their devices.
