Tanker Drivers Protest In Calabar Against NUPENG Leadership
Commercial and other related activities at the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) depot in Calabar, the Cross River state capital were disrupted on Monday, December 18, 2023, as petroleum tanker drivers marched on the streets, protesting against alleged high-handedness by the leadership of National Union Of Petroleum & Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG)
The protesters carried placards with inscriptions such as: ”Drivers On Wheels Are Dying”; “NUPENG Must Leave PTD Alone”; “We Say No To Bad Leadership Of NUPENG”; “NUPENG Cannot Select Any Chairman For Us”; and “Tanker Drivers Freedom Is Now” among others.
They accused NUPENG of constantly paying lip service to their welfare, and also regrettably sabotaging all efforts at drawing government’s attention to their plight.
This is as the Association also claimed that over 40 tanker drivers are at the moment languishing in prison custody across the 36 states of the federation and Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) on charges ranging from accidents to incomplete waybills.
The Tanker Drivers who protested at the NNPC Esuk Utang Tank Farm in Calabar, also rejected the imposition of leaders during elections, insisting that they would no longer condone situation of NUPENG’s total domination and officials’ exploitation of their members.
Addressing the media to make their position known, the Group’s Spokesperson, Comrade Ibrahim Isah, said they are resolutely behind the outcome of their national elections which took place in Abuja recently.
In a clear demonstration of their anger that brought all activities to a standstill, the drivers, amid the protest march, announced their allegiance to a separate leadership umbrella that would, henceforth, champion their affairs going forward.
The new body known as National Association of Petroleum Tankers Drivers (NAPTAD), said they have severed all links with NUPENG and resolved to chart a new course by going its separate way in the overall interest of peace and goodwill in the sector.
He said henceforth, NUPENG would no longer be allowed to meddle in their affairs as they are determined to stand on their own, and not to be dictated to by a body that has continued to demonstrate lack of interest in their welfare and other related matters.
the drivers’ spokesperson alleged thus; “NUPENG is cheating us and treating us unfairly, like slaves. We no longer want them. We, the drivers, need freedom from them because they are using us.
“They used to go and bring a carpenter, at times, they’d bring a tailor to be the secretary of the association. We drive trucks for 20 to 30 years, and we have no benefit. The time has come to get our rights and we have selected those we want.”
According to Comrade Isah, given that all entreaties for a better deal and improved conditions of service seem to have fallen on deaf ears and proved unfruitful in the past, time has come for them to openly bare their minds for the public to appreciate what they had been going through in the hands of NUPENG and its leadership
He said that with the new Association, the focus would be on effective engagement with all relevant authorities in the oil and gas sector of the economy towards improving their members’ welfare nationwide.
On the plight of their members, the tanker drivers said; “Over 40 of our members are suffering in prison custody with nobody coming to their rescue or making attempt to intervene in their cases. We used to do elections in the past, but now that the election period has come, Afolabi and co want to impose non-driver on us as Chairman. As drivers, we have nothing to show. NUPENG should let us conduct our elections peacefully”.
When contacted on the brewing crisis, the NUPENG representative in Cross River State, Comrade Peter Joshua, simply said that they were not aware of what the tanker drivers’ complained about.
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