Energy experts and stakeholders have urged the Petroleum Tanker Drivers (PTD) to dialogue with the federal government over its industrial action planned for tomorrow.
PTD, a branch of the Nigerian Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG), in a recent communique, directed its members to prepare for a nationwide strike on Friday, October 8 irked by the federal government over the poor state of highways and other safety issues.
Daily Trust also contacted the PTD chairman, Comrade Salimon Akanni Oladiti, yesterday on whether the stance had been reversed, but he said a final decision was being reached.
If the union embarks on the strike, there are concerns that it could lead to product scarcity as loading from NNPC depots to retail outlets nationwide may be affected.
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The union raised three issues which include the poor state of highways, the non-enforcement of safety valves by the government to curb fire accidents involving tankers, and non-regulation of product loading as it accused petroleum marketers of overloading the tankers.
However, a professor of Energy Economics and past president of the Nigeria Association of Energy Economics, Prof. Omowumi Iledare, urged the union members to dialogue with the government.
Speaking to Daily Trust, he said, “Going on strike cannot provide good roads within the context of immediacy! Give the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) a chance. It has provisions to make things better if implemented accordingly. Of course, emphasis must be on efficiency and effectiveness rather than political expediency.”
Prof. Iledare said the infrastructure deficiency is a symptom of bad governance of the downstream sector, which will soon be cleared. “Please have a conversation, don’t go on strike. It would add no value to the ongoing economic reform debate!”
Comrade John Okoli, an analyst in Abuja, expressed fear that fuel scarcity may thrive with the possibility of a hike in fuel price due to hoarding.
I believe the government is not insensitive to this and will already be dialoguing with them behind closed doors to avoid the planned industrial action,” he noted.
DAILY TRUST
