FG orders oil marketers to accept bank transfers, PoS transactions; TUC renews calls for end to naira, fuel crisis

The Federal Government has directed oil marketers to accept the use of Point of Sale machines and bank transfers as means of payment at various fuel outlets.

To enforce this, the federal government on Thursday commenced the deployment of security agencies to filling stations across the country.

It said the move became vital following reports that some filling stations were rejecting POS machines and bank transfers from customers despite the severe cash crunch currently nationwide.

The government disclosed this through its Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority, in a statement issued in Abuja by the agency’s General Manager, Corporate Communications, and Stakeholders Management, Kimchi Apollo.

The statement read in part, “It has come to the attention of the NMDPRA that some retail outlets are not accepting the use of Point of Sale machines at their filling stations due to the recent cash crunch brought about by the new naira design.

“The authority frowns at this recent behaviour which is causing untold hardship for Nigerians at a time when all hands should be on deck to assist the government in the transition to the new naira.

“All retail outlets are directed to ensure the free use of POS and bank transfer for the sale of petroleum products to alleviate the suffering of customers at this critical time,” the statement said.

The Trade Union Congress is dissatisfied with the country’s chronic fuel scarcity, which has brought it to its knees.

It has now reiterated its call for an end to the fuel crisis, which has resulted in a lack of consistency in commodity prices across states.

In the last few months, Nigerians have been subjected to scarcity of petrol.

Across the country, the prices of Petroleum motor spirit now differ with some states selling as high as N800 per litre.

It has been a war of words between oil marketers and the authorities over the cause of the scarcity.

Only on Monday, the Independent Marketers Association of Nigeria directed its members to down tools over unresolved issues and that caused some stir. But a quick intervention saw the action reversed.

For the umpteenth time, the Trade Union Congress, is raising concerns about the hardship brought about by the unending fuel shortage.

It insists local refinery is the answer to the perennial fuel scarcity.

There has been relative ease of queues at gas stations as a result of the government’s efforts but TUC says Nigerians have no reason to go through so much hardship as an oil-producing nation.

Congress also expressed concerns about the troubles associated with the latest cashless policy of the government.

The Congress also set the agenda for the Council of States meeting held on Friday.