The Petroleum Tankers
Drivers (PTD) arm of the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas
Workers (NUPENG) has warned it will commence a nationwide strike on
Monday.
The strike notice was contained in a communique released on Friday in
Lagos, at the end of its Central Working Committee (CWC) meeting held at
the union’s secretariat in Yaba.
NUPENG’s President, Mr Igwe Achese, released the 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 (NNPC), 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 government to address the challenges
of poverty, unemployment, hunger and the rising cost of goods and
services.
It also appealed to 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. – NAN.
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