The National Union Of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) has advised the Federal Government to start loading at NNPC depots to ease distribution of petrol nation-wide.

The South-West Chairman of NUPENG, Mr Tokunbo Korodo, made the call on phone interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos on Tuesday.

Korodo said that all the NNPC depots were not working and tankers resorted to private depots in Apapa and Marine-Bridge axis to get products.

He said that congestion at the private depots in Apapa had led to increase in the pump price of products because the tankers incurred additional expenses before lifting petroleum.

Korodo also said that long queues at the depots usually accounted for late arrival of the products at filling stations and this was causing scarcity of products.

``NNPC depots are not working due to the fear the facilities will be vandalised.

``The government should find ways to fight these vandals and also fix all the ruptured pipelines nation-wide.

``It is only when these are done that the NNPC depots will be able to have supplies and the congestion in the private depots in Lagos will reduce,’’ he said.

The chairman assured that the Petroleum Tanker Drivers (PTD) would supply products during the Sallah period if the products were available in depots.

``Whether there is holiday or not, my people will ensure that they work throughout this period to ensure that the products get to filling stations nation-wide,” he said. (NAN)

Photo shows: NNPC Headquarters