Lagos, Nigeria’s economic hub and arguably most populous city may begin next week on a tough note, as the leadership of Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) has directed petrol tanker drivers to withdraw their services.
Petroleum Tanker Drivers (PTD), a body to which all tanker drivers across the country belong, is an affiliate of NUPENG.
In a statement on Friday signed by Williams Akporeha, and Olawale Afolabi, president and general secretary of NUPENG, respectively, the union directed the tanker drivers to withdraw their service in Lagos with effect from Monday, August 10, 2020 following the “failure of various authorities in the state to address three major issues that have severely caused pains to the hapless tanker drivers over several months”
NUPENG listed the issues to include extortion, intimidation, harassment and victimisation by security agencies and different groups and segments in Lagos.
“The entire rank and file members of the union are deeply pained, frustrated and agonised by the barrage of these challenges being consistently faced by petroleum tanker drivers in Lagos State and are left with no other option but to direct the withdrawal of their services in Lagos State until Lagos State government and other relevant stakeholders address these critical challenges.”
It added: “It is sad and disheartening to note that we had made several appeals and reports to Lagos State government and the Presidential Task Force for the decongestion of Apapa on these challenges but all to no avail.”
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