Petroleum tanker drivers protest exploitation by NUPENG
From Aniekan Aniekan, Calabar
Petroleum tanker drivers (PTDs)at the Calabar Depot have protested alleged exploitation by the leadership of the Nigeria Union Of Petroleum and Natural Gas workers (NUPENG).
The protesting drivers gathered in their hundreds with various placards on Monday afternoon and demonstrated around the depot to drive home their anger.
Some of the placards displayed by the protesters read, ” Drivers on wheels are dying”, “We say no to bad leadership of NUPENG”, Tanker Drivers freedom is now”, “NUPENG leave PTD alone”, “NUPENG are drivers enemies”, “Afolabi and Oladiti are our problem”.
Spokesman of the protesters, Comrade Ibrahim Issac (Danjuma Action) said NUPENG is cheating the petroleum tanker drivers and their time of freedom has come.
“NUPENG is cheating us and doing us very bad, they use us as slaves.
“We no longer want them and and we the drivers need freedom from them because they are using us.
“They used to go and bring carpenter and at times they will bring tailor to be secretary of the association.
“We drive trucks for 20 to 30 years and we have no benefit, time has come to get our rights and we have selected those we want.
“Since we joined NUPENG, they have scattered everything so let them go on their own”, he said.
Also speaking, Comrade Adams Abdullahi, an executive officer of the PTD said what they are experiencing is a form of slavery and the drivers reject it.
He said the drivers have come of age and want to establish themselves .
He added that the drivers should be allowed to elect it’s leaders and they will not condone any form of imposition.
On his part, Comrade Aliyu Suleiman, a tanker driver said they are in support of their election that took place in Abuja and rejected moves by NUPENG to set it aside by organising another kangaroo election in Ibadan.
“We the PTD members are in support of our election that took place in Abuja.
“The leaders that emerged there are the real leaders that we know who can improve our lives and pilot the affairs of our union.
“We are gathering here to show that we are in support of them 100%,” he said.
The drivers also lamented that over 40 drivers are in jail across various prisons in Nigeria and the leadership of NUPENG have abandoned them.
However in his response, Peter Joshua, the unit head of NUPENG in Cross River State gave a terse reply stating that they have no knowledge of the issues raised.
