Petroleum tanker drivers allege hijack of funds proposed for road repairs

The leadership of the Petroleum Tanker Drivers (PTD) has alleged that the N621 billion proposed for the repair of selected roads across the country were being hijacked by some state governments, politicians and officials of the Ministry of Works and Housing.

The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Limited, in December 2021 had presented a symbolic cheque of N621 billion to the ministry of works and housing for the construction of 21 selected federal roads, in order to sustain a smooth supply and distribution of petroleum products across the country.

The road construction project was to be executed under the tax credit scheme in alignment with Mr President’s executive order 7.

However, Salmon Akanni Oladiti, PTD national chairman on Wednesday alleged that the funds were being misappropriated and spent on roads and projects not intended in the agreement as approved by the Federal Executive Council.

“You will all recall that at the end of the quarterly Branch Executive Council meeting of the Petroleum Tanker Drivers, held at PTD House, Emene, Enugu on the 25th of September 2021, the Union issued a firm and decisive ultimatum on the deplorable state of the federal highways and the painful experiences of our members while carrying out their duties across the Country.

“You will also recall, that to avert the situation of industrial action of the Union, the management of Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation apprehended the situation by calling the leadership of the Union for two separate meetings on the 10th of October 2021 in Ibadan and 12th October 2021 in Abuja.

Read also: Sukuk: FCT, works, N/Delta ministries get N250bn for road funding

“These two meetings resulted in the signing of a communique indicating the readiness and willingness of NNPC to finance the rehabilitation of identified 21 critical roads at an estimated sum of N621 Billion through Road Infrastructure Tax Credit Scheme.

“On the basis of this communique, we suspended the intended industrial action but with a very clear warning that should the spirit and letter of the agreement not be fully implemented with focus on those jointly identified critical roads, the Union will not hesitate to resume the intended actions without further warning.

“Unfortunately, and to our greatest shocks, we heard it from very reliable sources that some vultures in the garbs of being state governments, officials of Ministry of Works and Housing and Politicians are already depleting these funds and misappropriating them on roads and projects not intended in the agreement as approved by the Federal Executive Council.

“This is an open day robbery, but we are assuring all and sundry that our Union will go to all lengths to expose these unscrupulous individuals.

“Every kobo of the approved fund must be accounted for and we must see and broadcast the pre and post-rehabilitation of all the identified 21 federal roads to the whole nation.

“Tax payers’ money must be accounted for. We urge every patriotic Nigerian to rise up and join us in this struggle, this is not a fight for NUPENG alone, it is our collective fight,” he said.