Petrol tanker drivers resume strike

The Petroleum Tanker Drivers (PTD) arm of the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG), on Monday a suspended loading of petroleum products in the entire South West zone, including Ilorin.

The action will worsen the petrol supply situation because products for most parts of the country are usually loaded from the zone for delivery to other parts.

It was gathered from sources in Apapa, Lagos that the suspension of product loading was indefinite.

“This is, indeed, a very challenging time for businesses in the downstream sub-sector of the petroleum industry. As we speak, there was no loading today (Monday) in the whole of the South West, including llorin,” one marketer, who did not want to be named, said.

“We don’t know when this action will be called off,” the source added.

A message from the PTD group to NUPENG members read, “Comrades/unit chairmen/executives, you are directed to suspend all loading activities in all the depots as from Monday, 18th of May, 2015.

“There will be severe sanctions for any chairman/others that does not comply.”

The tanker drivers were reportedly advised to take the action by the marketers, who were owed subsidy arrears running into over N200bn by the Federal Government.

There have been heightened fears among the marketers that they may not be paid the subsidy arrears if the current government does not take full responsibility to liquidate the debt.

Two weeks ago, the tankers were withdrawn from the roads by the National Association of Road Transport Owners (NARTO) in protest against the failure of the marketers to pay their transport claims for lifting products from the depots to filling stations across the country.



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