at an oil farm in Lagos.
Fuel tanker drivers under the auspices of the
Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) have
suspended their strike in Lagos State.
The union took the decision on Monday following a meeting
between its leadership and representatives of the state
government.
A communique jointly signed by the Commissioner of Energy and
Mineral Resources, Olalere Odusote, and the Deputy National
President of NUPENG, Solomon Kilanko, was issued at the end of the
meeting.
It contains the seven agreements reached by the union and the
government which lead to the suspension of the industrial action of
the tanker drivers in the state.
Some of the challenges faced by tanker drivers such as security
agencies, ‘area boys’, ad-hoc levies, bad roads, overloading, the
timing of movement, and coordination, formed the critical issues
discussed at the meeting.
Both parties resolved that the state government would meet with
the heads of all security agencies and secure their commitment to
ensuring the free passage of petroleum products vehicles given
their importance to the economy.
They also agreed to ask relevant government agencies to tackle
the menace of ‘area boys’ and establish a dedicated phone number
within the next week, to ensure that petroleum products
transporters have prompt access to security agencies.
(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});
The meeting resolved to investigate extra-ordinary levies by a
particular local government and ask local government authorities to
only collect legally due levies.
On the issue of bad roads, the state government said it would
continue to relate with all road users in the planning and
execution of road works in the state.
NUPENG, on its part, promised to ensure all tankers were loaded
within the capacities provided for in the regulation and
communicated by the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR).
“Lagos State will, within the next one week, review the
restriction of the timing of movement of the petroleum tankers and
advise a resolution to ease their access to the tank farms. Union
also notes that the ongoing road works are a temporary inhibitor of
movement.
“Lagos State government will immediately set up a standing
committee to relate with the union on an ongoing basis to address
any issues as they arise,” the statement read.
Read the full communique issued at the end of the meeting
below:
