Energy

Petrol tanker drivers begin nationwide protest, threaten to exit NUPENG

The Petroleum Tanker Drivers (PTD) have threatened to exit its umbrella body, the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG), if its President, Williams Akporeha, and General Secretary, Afolabi Olawale, did not resign.

An ex-officio of the PTD from Ibadan depot, Gbenga Olawale, in a statement on Sunday, said their members would begin a nationwide protest to press home their demand.

The PTD further directed its members across the country to move with leaves in front of their trucks to serve as a warning to NUPENG and police against interference and incessant harassment of their leaders.

According to the union, Williams is not a member of NUPENG and as such lacks the competence to lead the union.

It alleged that Williams was drafted into petrol station workers of NUPENG (PSW) to enable him to contest election as NUPENG president which was a departure from the NUPENG constitution.

“Williams is not a worker or a pump attendant on record as at the time he was verifying for the president position,” the petrol drivers said.

They further alleged that Williams planted his surrogates to collect all revenue of the union which were not used for the development of the union and tanker drivers.

The union called for a fresh election, saying the members of the PTD have decided to stand with Lucky Osusan and Dayyabu Garga to be the new NUPENG President and General Secretary, respectively.

It added that the union decided to support Osusan and Garga because they have sacrificed so much to ensure that their members were free from all kinds of extortion.

The Star