NATIONAL Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) and Nigeria Road Transport Owners (NARTO), tanker owners, today begin an indefinite strike to protest the deplorable condition of the nation�s public highways including access roads to the refineries and soaring diesel prices, raising fears of imminent scarcity of petroleum products and its attendant consequences across the country.
Leaders of NUPENG and NARTO are particularly irked that while the public highways have become a major cause of accidents, leading to loss of many drivers, petroleum products, trucks, frequent cases of inferno and destruction of properties, they are also disturbed that diesel which the NNPC sells at N60.15 to marketers, is being sold to the public at an inflated price of between N135.00 and N150.00
In fact, both Petroleum Tanker Drivers (PTD) branch of NUPENG and NARTO would have commenced the industrial action by Thursday last week, but the National Secretariat of NUPENG intervened and solicited for more time for wider consultation on ground that if by the end of Saturday, June 7, 2008, no concrete steps were taken to addressed their concerns, NUPENG as a body would lead the strike from Monday (today).
Vanguard gathered that relevant government officials such as the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Minister of Labour and Productivity and the leadership of the National Assembly have been notified about the impending industrial action.
According to NUPENG, transporters are blaming their inability to increase salaries on the refusal of government to increase the freight margin despite several requests.
President of NUPENG, Comrade Peter Akpatason told Vanguard yesterday on telephone that the leadership of the NUPENG had done everything with its powers to avert the strike, but the relevant government agencies failed to addressed the issues raised even when the notice of the strike was issued over a month ago.