NNPC meets NARTO, as tanker drivers begin strike today
The leadership of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), will be meeting the leaders of the Petroleum Tankers Drivers (PTD) section of the Nigerian Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) and the National Association of Transport Owners (NARTO) today as part of efforts to avert the strike planned by PTD, which is scheduled to begin today.
PTD had said last Friday in Lagos it would embark on an indefinite strike, from today (Monday). The strike it said would draw the attention of the federal government and other stakeholders to some unresolved issues bordering on the welfare of workers, such as bad roads, poor remuneration, insecurity and the alleged excesses of some security agencies.
In order to make the impending strike effective, NUPPENG, which issued the communique on behalf of PTD said the tanker drivers had been mobilised to ensure no movement of petroleum tankers during the nationwide strike.
Alhaji Tokunbo Korodo, the South-West Chairman of NUPENG Lagos Council, said on Sunday that all the tanker drivers had abandoned their trucks in respect of the indefinite strike which will begin on Monday unless the Federal Government intervenes.
Meanwhile, the Group General Manager in charge of Group Public Affairs Division of the NNPC, Mr. Ndu Ughamadu, told THISDAY last night that the Group Managing Director of NNPC, Dr. Maikanti Baru, had convened a meeting of the leadership of NUPENG and NARTO to resolve the crisis.
“NARTO and tanker drivers invited to a meeting by 3p.m. Monday by the Group Managing Director,” he said.
Ughamadu had stated that Baru was in touch with the leadership of the unions to avert the strike.
“We are engaging them. Few days ago, the Group Managing Director of NNPC, was in touch with the leadership of the union. Hopefully, with his intervention, it will be resolved,” Ughamadu said.
