Lagos: Fuel Scarcity Looms As Tanker Drivers Begin Strike

The National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) says the planned strike by Petroleum Tanker Drivers in Lagos would start on Monday.

The action may cause fuel scarcity in Nigerian’s biggest city.

The union said its meeting with Lagos State Government ended in deadlock.

NUPENG chairman in South-West, Tayo Aboyeji, spoke with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday.

He said the issues which forced the drivers to initiate an indefinite strike was not addressed during the four-hour meeting.

Aboyeji disclosed that the Lagos government only promised to get back.

He said their stand remained that extortion and harassment of members stop.

“Security agents and hoodlums are extorting our members and officials of the Lagos State Traffic Management use taser on our drivers and this can kill. Since they are not ready to address these issues, we will start the strike on Monday morning until they are able to resolve them.

“It is unfortunate that the strike might affect all other states in the federation because most of them load their petroleum products in Lagos depots. We are not happy to disrupt fuel supply because we know the effect but we cannot continue to cope with the problems.”

The official disclosed that members of PTD were accusing NUPENG of taking side with security agents to molest and assault drivers on Lagos roads.

NUPENG National President, Williams Akporeha, had in a statement on Friday directed tanker drivers to begin the withdrawal of their services as from 12midnight on Monday.