The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) has attributed the recent flare up in the cooking-gas prices to a temporary disruption in the loading and distribution operations due to the strike staged by the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria.
Group Chief Executive Mr. Bayo Ojulari disclosed this information during a discussion with the State House reporters on Sunday after meeting with President Bola Tinubu.
Ojulari described it as industrial action that resulted in stopping the functioning during several days, which artificially raised the prices.
Most of the rise you have seen was artificial because of the delays made in loading and movements which extended to two or three days in the strike, he said.
And in the meantime you may see the effect. It will also be a long time before distribution is fully restored as operations slowly resume normal, he explained.
The upsurge in prices was reportedly due to the PENGASSAN strike, which was launched over the firing of Nigerian workers at the Dangote Refinery which was suspended on October 1 following the intervention of the federal government.
Ojulari assured the Nigerians that the prices of cooking gas are expected to drop in the coming weeks as the supply chains restore their balance.
