NUPENG warns security agents against extortion, embarks on special protests
The National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG), has called on the Federal Government to immediately address the issue of multiple roadblocks and extortions from security agents across the country.
The Union also accused the Nigerian Army, Police, and Civil Defence Corps as major culprits, saying enough of the molestation, harassment, exploitation and extortion by uniformed men from its members on a daily basis.
NUPENG warned that if not addressed, the union may be forced to embark on a serious industrial action to drive home its demand.
To this end, tanker drivers across Nigeria, yesterday, began putting green leaves in front of their trucks, while from Monday July 13th; the union said it will commence two hours morning prayers at every loading location and stop over spots for Petroleum Tanker Drivers (PTD).
It also gave the Federal Government a two-week ultimatum to commence total rehabilitation of bad roads across the country to save lives and properties, maintaining that they can no longer tolerate the current state of the deplorable roads.
The resolutions were reached at the end of the union’s National Executive Council meeting held virtually.
National President of NUPENG, Williams Akporeha, at the meeting lamented that the issue of bad roads is further compounded by the various security agencies, which now set up multiple check points on the terrible roads to further exploit and extort money from motorists.
According to him, petroleum tanker drivers are the worst hit by the exploitative tendencies of the unscrupulous security agencies.
“The brazen extortion of our members, especially during this COVID-19 pandemic was really disconcerting and unfortunate. As a Union, we cannot continue to fold our hands and watch our members, who toil day and night, in the rain, cold and sunshine to make our economy grow to keep suffering like this,” he said.
The oil workers, who drew the attention of the government to the harrowing experiences of the owners of petroleum trucks in Nigeria, expressed fear that distribution of products by road is now endangered and requires urgent Federal Government intervention to prevent it from total collapse.
The union argued that most of the nation’s highways are becoming death traps for its members, especially the Calabar-Itu-Uyo, Port Part Harcourt-Aba, Mokwa-Jebba-Kaduna, and Port Harcourt-Owerri highways.
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