NUPENG Suspends Lagos Fuel Tanker Drivers Strike

The Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers said on Monday that the strike embarked on by the Petroleum Tanker Drivers branch of the union in Lagos had been suspended.

The suspension was disclosed in a joint communique signed by the Lagos Commissioner of Energy and Mineral Resources, Olalere Odusote, and the NUPENG Deputy National President, Solomon Kilanko.

The communique was tweeted by Jubril Gawat, the new media aide to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu.

The General Secretary, NUPENG, Olawale Afolabi, also confirmed the suspension of the strike to one of our correspondents.

The communique said, “The Lagos State Government met today with the representatives of NUPENG, which agreed to call off its strike immediately.

“Other decisions taken at the meeting are security – the state government will meet the heads of all security agencies and secure their commitment to ensure the free passage of petroleum products vehicles given their importance to the economy.

“Area boys’ – the menace of ‘area boys’ will be handled by relevant government agencies and a dedicated phone number will be established, within the next week to ensure the petroleum products transporters have prompt access to security agencies.”

According to the communique, the Lagos State government will immediately set up a standing committee to relate with the union on an ongoing basis to address any issue as they arise.

NUPENG had on Friday directed tanker drivers to begin the withdrawal of their services from Lagos from 12:00 midnight on Monday.

The union said the move followed the failure of various authorities in the state to address three major issues that had severely caused petroleum tanker drivers pains and harrowing experiences in the state for several months.