Kayode ShopekanPETROLEUM Tanker Drivers have vowed to embark on a nationwide strike from October 8, if their demands are not met by the government.
The Petroleum Tanker Drivers (PTD) which is a branch of the Nigerian Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) has warned that nothing will restrain it’s members from proceeding on a nationwide strike from October 8 if the Federal Government fails to meet their three demands.
National Chairman of the Union, Otunba Salman Oladiti noted that the Federal Government needs to reconstruct all the bad portions of the roads, enhance the enforcement of 45,000 loading capacity and, ensure all trucks have safety valve devices.
Oladiti said, bad roads, operating above the mandated carrying capacity and lack of safety valve devices are the major causes of road accidents in the country.
The chairman further explained that some tank farm owners still use tankers exceeding 45,000 carrying capacity despite reaching an agreement with the government on this.
He said “By the end of this week, if nothing is done about our demands, we will go on strike properly on the 8th of next month.
“Before now, we already gave the government an ultimatum of 21 days, 14 days and 7 days. But, due to intervention, we suspended it.
“This time around, we don’t need to give notice again. We will act on what we have suspended before.
We are not saying all the roads must be repaired at once, what we are saying is that the government needs to show commitment and readiness to reduce unnecessary traffic and accidents by making sure the roads are in good condition.
For instance the Calabar-Odukpani, Warri -Benin, Okenne-Lokoja, roads are very very bad.
“When a tanker crashes and the tanker has a safety valve device, a single litre will not come out talk-less of causing fire; Hence, we are advocating for safety valve devices on all of the operational tankers in the country.” The chairman noted.
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