Posted by By CHIDI NNADI on
The strike embarked upon by the Petroleum Tanker Drivers (PTD) unit of the National Union of Petroleum and National Gas Workers (NUPENG), that has resulted into the scarcity of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), otherwise called petrol in Lagos and other parts of the country has been called off.
The strike embarked upon by the Petroleum Tanker Drivers (PTD) unit of the National Union of Petroleum and National Gas Workers (NUPENG), that has resulted into the scarcity of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), otherwise called petrol in Lagos and other parts of the country has been called off.
The tanker drivers had embarked on the strike in protest of a Federal Government Committee directive that all trucks parked on the road close to the tank farms, particularly in the Apapa area of Lagos would be confiscated.
The strike which began last weekend has seen many petrol filling stations shut as a result of lack of products while miscreants, popularly known as Area Boys were seen on the roadsides selling the product in jerry cans.
While calling off the strike on Tuesday, the tanker drivers claimed they were doing so as the Federal Government has disbanded the committee that gave the directive which led to the strike.
However, this claim was not confirmed as at press time on Tuesday, but the tanker drivers assured that they would resume loading today to avoid congestion.
Consultant to PTD and former General Secretary of NUPENG, Comrade Joseph Akilaja, said that henceforth, only trucks scheduled to load would be allowed to come close to tank farm areas to avoid the trucks blocking the roads.
According to him, this is an interim measure before the Orile, Lagos parking lot is completed.
The tanker drivers had earlier, when the Orile parking lot was allocated to them by the Lagos State government refused to relocate to the area, saying that the ground was marshy and would not be good for trucks to park.
But Mr. Sylvernus Okoli of DAPMAN, who was at the meeting on Tuesday together with the PTD chairman pledged that DAPMAN would assist PTD to complete the Orile park.
Lagos State has been the worse hit since the strike began, as most filling stations in the state ran out of fuel, leading to long queues in the metropolis where the product is found.
On Monday, NUPENG officials were going round the depots and tank farms in Lagos trying to enforce the strike.
But the officials were resisted by some of the oil marketers, who already have parking lots, on the grounds that their trucks were not parking on the road and by extension were not targeted by the government committee.
The strike and the scarcity of products in Lagos led to increase in transport fares and most commuters seen being stranded at bus terminals.