IMO OIL MARKETERS SUSPEND STRIKE, WILL RESUME IF …

Reporter : CHINAZO ILECHUKWU

The three day old industrial action embarked on by the Association of Imo Petroleum Marketers and Dealers has been suspended. Briefing journalists in Owerri, the Vice Chairman of the Association, Mr. Martin Chimodo, said the suspension followed an assurance given to the body by the Imo State Government to resolve their issues within two weeks.

He explained that the group after series of meetings with the government and security agencies considered the sufferings occasioned by the action and decided to suspend the strike for two weeks.

Mr. Chimodo said the Association would be compelled to resume the strike if at the expiration of the two weeks government was unable to address their concerns.

Petroleum Marketers in Imo State had on Wednesday, August 25, 2021 shut down their fuel stations to compel the state government to address what they described as multiple taxation, intimidation of their members by revenue agents of government and failure to obey a high court order that directed government to pay compensation to a man whose filling station was demolished by a past administration in the state.

The suspension came barely six hours after the Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr. Declan Emelumba accused the Marketers of embarking on an illegal action.