The Petroleum Tankers Drivers, a branch of the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers, has said its planned strike will begin today (Monday) because it has not reached an agreement with the Lagos State Government.
The National Chairman of the PTD, Mr Salimonu Oladiti, said this in an interview with our correspondent in Ibadan on Sunday.
Oladiti said, “We don’t have much to say. If the issues of extortion and harassment of our members are addressed, we won’t go on strike; but if the issues are not addressed, we will go on with it.
“Security agents and hoodlums are extorting money from our members and officials of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority use taser on our drivers and this can kill.
“We have been reporting to the government but nothing has come out of it. The state government called us to a meeting on Saturday, but nothing came out of the meeting. We are still waiting for them to call another meeting.
“We will still present our demands to them and if they are ready to address them and we see their commitment, we will not go ahead with the strike. But if they are not ready, then there is no going back on the strike.”
The National President, NUPENG, Williams Akporeha, and the General Secretary, Olawale Afolabi, had in a statement on Friday, directed tanker drivers to begin the withdrawal of their services as from midnight on Monday.