The South-West Zonal Chairman of NUPENG, Tayo Aboyeji, who disclosed this in an interview with NAN, said the union has lost many lives and properties due to bad roads. Aboyeji said that all tanker drivers from the union would withdraw their services nationwide.

He said “This is not the first time that we will signify our intention to go on strike but we have to call it off because it will generally affect the majority of Nigerians but now our hands are tied. We are going on a nationwide strike because of the deplorable and shameful state of our highways. When a truckloads 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 the harrowing situation while rendering selfless national service. The increased rate of fire incidences 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 the installation of safety gadgets on tankers. This will protect the inflammation contents of their trucks from spilling over in a situation of a road accident. We know that the present administration would not do anything until we start the nationwide strike”

This was contained in a joint communique issued by the Lagos State Government and NUPENG on Monday, August 10.

In a statement released today August 10, the association in a communique that was jointly signed by the Lagos Commissioner of Energy and Mineral Resources, Olalere Odusote, and NUPENG Deputy National President, Solomon Kilanko, announced the suspension of the strike after both parties had a meeting.

Part of the communique read “The Lagos State Government met today with the representatives of NUPENG, which agreed to call off its strike immediately. Other decisions taken at the meeting are security – the state government will meet the heads of all security agencies and secure their commitment to ensuring the free passage of petroleum products vehicles given their importance to the economy. Area boys – the menace of area boys will be handled by relevant government agencies and a dedicated phone number will be established, within next week to ensure the petroleum products transporters have prompt access to security agencies. Lagos State Government will immediately set up a standing Committee to relate with the Union on an ongoing basis to address any issue as they arise.”

The workers had threatened to embark on a warning strike from Wednesday, June 24 to Friday, June 26, 2020, to protest the Federal Government’s attempt to forcefully enrol its members into the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS).

However, the planned strike has been stalled to give the federal government time to act.

In a statement to oil workers in the employ of the Federal Government, Secretary-General of PENGASSAN, Comrade Lumumba Okugbawa disclosed that the union are currently in talks with officials of the government and would provide updates after talks are concluded.

He said, “Refer to our letter dated June 17, 2020, on the above subject, which a copy was sent to you. The matter has been apprehended and discussions ongoing with the Honourable Minister of State for Petroleum Resources. The Secretariat will get back to you as events unfold.”