The Petroleum Retail Owners Association of Nigeria (PETROAN) has called on its members not to shut down their operations over the N100bn bridging debt owned them.

PETROAN, in a press statement issued by its national public relations officer, Joseph Obele in Port Harcourt, on Wednesday, said the decision not to shut down its operations was a result of its emergency national executive meeting where its members were instructed to refrain from shutting down operations.

Obele said the association has opted for dialogue to resolve the outstanding bridging claims issue with the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA).

He stated that while acknowledging the frustration and concerns of its members regarding the unpaid bridging claims totaling N100 billion, PETROAN firmly believes that a shutdown would have devastating consequences, including fuel scarcity, economic disruption and hardship for the Nigerian people.

“As resolved in the last stakeholders meeting chaired by Senator Heineken Lokpobiri, PhD, the Honourable Minister of State for Petroleum, PETROAN reaffirms its commitment to dialogue rather than industrial action. The association urges all parties to engage in constructive engagement and good-faith negotiations to resolve the issue.”