Bad News: Petroleum Tanker Drivers to Begin Nationwide Strike on Monday

The Petroleum Tankers Drivers arm of the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas
Workers says it will commence a nationwide strike on Monday.

NUPENG’s President, Mr Igwe Achese, announced this in a signed communique on Friday in Lagos, at the end of its Central
Working Committee (CWC) meeting held at the union’s secretariat in Yaba.

The communique said the strike would draw the attention of the Federal Government and other stakeholders to some unresolved issues bordering on the welfare
of workers, such as bad roads, poor remuneration, insecurity and the alleged excesses of some security agencies.

“The CWC-in-Session considers inhumane, the refusal of the National Association of
Transport Owners (NARTO) to commence negotiation with the union for the renewal
of the expired Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) on the working conditions
of our Tanker Driver members in the PTD branch, after several appeals and even an ultimatum.;

“The CWC-in-Session, therefore, resolves to give full backing to any industrial action the members in this sector might decide to take
with effect from Monday, April 3, 2017.

“To avert the pains and discomfort the action might cause, the CWC-in-Session calls on the Federal Government to urgently
intervene and apprehend the unfortunate situation, to enable NARTO meet its obligations to tanker drivers,’’ the communique said.

The communique also called on the National Assembly to urgently pass the Petroleum Industry Bill, in order to tackle all the issues
of corruption plaguing the oil sector.

It also called for the commercialisation of the operations of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, as well as the turn- around maintenance for the refineries, to
increase local production and reduce the importation of petroleum products.

The communique commended the efforts of the federal government to encourage operators of illegal refineries to be integrated into the establishment of modular refineries.

The union also vowed to resist any attempt to increase the pump price of petrol.
It also commended efforts of the
government to shore up the Naira against the Dollar and the decline in the inflationary rate to 17.5 per cent.

The communique, however, called on the government to address the challenges of poverty, unemployment, hunger and the
rising cost of goods and services.
It also appealed to the government to adopt measures to restructure the economy, as
well as address challenges confronting the power sector.

The association commended the federal government’s determined efforts at eliminating the Boko Haram sect from the Sambisa forest, but called for increased
military intelligence gathering to stem the spate of suicide bombings in Maiduguri, Borno.

While commending the efforts of the Police in combating crime, the union also called for increased surveillance to tackle rising cases
of kidnappings, rape and other crimes.