Sunday Kudaisi, Akure and Ufomba Uzuegbu
5 June 2008
Lagos — The nation may witness yet another round of fuel scarcity, if the Petroleum Tankers Drivers Association makes good its threat to embark on an indefinite strike nationwide from today (Thursday), following a deadlocked meeting between it and the Petroleum Tankers Owners Association.
The tanker drivers at a meeting with truck owners held in Abuja, Tuesday resolved yesterday that they might stop lifting fuel from petroleum depots as from Thursday since the tanker owners could not concede to their demand for improved service conditions.
The grand patron of the association, Dr Joseph Akinlaja, told journalists in a telephone interview in Akure that the drivers had vowed not to lift petroleum products from today following the deadlocked talks between it and tanker owners.
He said the tankers drivers were demanding improved welfare, reduction in the price of diesel, the nation's roads among others.
He also said the tanker drivers observed that the price of diesel had risen to between N146 and N136 per litre and every tanker driver used diesel to convey fuel from the depot to their destinations, adding that the condition of Nigeria roads was so bad that vehicles always broke down while conveying their products.
While the tanker owners said they could not increase the wages of their workers, saying the business was no longer paying them because of overhead costs. The tanker drivers also refused to accept the tankers owners' argument not to improve on their conditions of services and vowed to go ahead with their planned nationwide strike today.
Sources in the presidency said the federal government was negotiating with the two unions to avert a strike.
Tanker drivers under the aegis of Petroleum and National Gas Employees said yesterday they would not go back on their resolve to commence a nationwide strike today, to protest the astronomical hike in the pump price of diesel.
Diesel which sold N65 a few months ago now sells for N150. The drivers said their employers, the National Association of Road Transport Owners (NARTO), members were finding it increasingly difficult to fund the business at the prevailing cost.
The drivers who spoke through the Lagos zonal Secretary of NUPENG, Comrade Tokunbo Korodo, stressed that if the business was not funded adequately, there would be nothing for them to lift and the business would be hindered.
Korodo said, "It is no longer profitable for employers to distribute diesel at the new pump price. This is threatening the job of tanker drivers. The ultimatum given by tanker driver expired end of May 2008 and relevant bodies were unable to address the problem, hence the resolve of the tanker drivers to flag off their protest.
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