Members of the Petroleum Tanker Drivers arm of the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) said on Sunday that it will on Monday (today) commence its proposed strike.
The Chairman, NUPENG, South-West Zone, Alhaji Tokunbo Korodo, told the Punch “The strike will hold on Monday. We have not received any positive response from the government.”
The President, NUPENG, Mr. Igwe Achese, announced the nationwide strike in Lagos on Friday in a communique at the end of its Central Working Committee meeting held at the union’s secretariat.
However, the NNPC leadership is slated to meet with NUPENG workers on Monday in Abuja in a last-ditch effort to stop the strike.
When contacted on Sunday to ascertain if it was doing anything to avert the strike, the Group General Manager, Group Public Affairs Division, NNPC, Mr. Ndu Ughamadu, said his association is discussing with the government.
Ughamadu said, “We have been engaging them and we are scheduled to have a meeting with both sides at 3pm at the Towers (NNPC headquarters) tomorrow (Monday). Both sides are NARTO and the tanker drivers. You know the tanker drivers have grievances with their employers. Their employers are NARTO members.
“The grievances expressed by the tanker drivers have to do with their welfare and also they are talking of bad roads. But these issues have been on for a while, so we are meeting with them to iron out things.”
When asked if the meeting would lead to a suspension of the strike, Ughamadu replied, “Let’s take a step after another and hold on until we see them tomorrow. After the meeting, we can give you updated information.”
The tanker drivers’ association as well as its parent body NUPENG are powerful pressure groups. They have been known to use strikes to get the government to do their bidding.
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