NUPENG to embark on nationwide strike over ‘shameful state of roads’

The National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) says tanker drivers under the union will commence a strike on October 11 over bad roads in the country.

Tayo Aboyeji, the south-west zonal chairman of NUPENG, in an interview with NAN on Saturday, said the union has lost many members and properties due to bad roads.

He said all calls to the government concerning the situation have fallen on deaf ears, and as a result, tanker drivers from the union would withdraw their services nationwide.

“This is not the first time that we will signify our intention to go on strike, but we had to call it off because it will generally affect majority of Nigerians. But now, our hands are tied,” he said.

“We are going on nationwide strike because of the deplorable and shameful state of our highways.

“When a truck loads petrol in Lagos, the drivers spend five to six days to get to Abuja because of the shameful state of the roads.

“All calls by the executive of petroleum unions have fallen on the deaf ears of the government as the highways continue to deteriorate nationwide.

“The list of the highway are endless and the tanker drivers have been going through harrowing situations while rendering selfless national service.

“The increased rate of fire incidents involving petroleum tankers with accompanying massive destruction of lives and properties of our members and the general public is enough.

“This is because of government failure to enforce installation of safety gadgets on tankers, which will protect the inflammatory contents of their trucks from spilling over in a situation of road accident.

“We see the failure of the government in this regard as the height of insensitivity to lives of innocent Nigerians and the union cannot continue to hold its hands while our members are getting burnt everywhere and everyday.”

Aboyeji said the union had given notice to the government in order to avert the nationwide strike.

“We know that the present administration would not do anything until we start the nationwide strike,” he added.