Month: August 2020

Members of the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria in the Federal Ministry of Petroleum Resources and some of its agencies on Wednesday commenced a three-day warning strike.

It was gathered that the senior workers downed tools at the Abuja headquarters of the FMPR in protest against the non-payment of their salaries for the past three months.

Our correspondent also learnt that the strike was embarked upon by PENGASSAN to kick against the Federal Government’s inclusion of its members in the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information system.

The association’s National Public Relations Officer, who doubles as the Rivers State Secretary of the Trade Union Congress, Fortune Obi, confirmed the industrial action when contacted.

The striking senior staff staged a protest in Abuja, displaying various placards with inscriptions such as “IPPIS is a pandemic than COVID-19, the President should act fast,” and “IPPIS office, respect your agreement and come for negotiations” among others.

Officials of the FMPR said they were aware of the protest and the three-day warning strike but declined to comment further on what the ministry was doing to address the situation.

Source: Punch

THE Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers, NUPENG, on Monday, directed its Petroleum Tankers Drivers, PTD, to suspend its ongoing strike in Lagos State after the union reached an agreement with Lagos State government and other stakeholders.

Recall that the tanker drivers had began an indefinite strike, Monday, following Friday’s directive by NUPENG for members of the PTD, Lagos zone, to shut fuel distribution in Lagos and its environs over take-over of access roads to tank farms and fuel depots by containerised trucks, among other grievances.

Other grievances of the union are deplorable state of the roads and extortion of tanker drivers by security operatives in Lagos and its environs,

NUPENG, in a statement by its President and General Secretary, Prince Williams Akporeha, and Olawale Afolabi, respectively, lamented perceived failure of various authorities in the state to address three major issues that have caused pains and harrowing experiences on the hapless petroleum drivers in the state for several months.

Communiqué 

A communiqué, at the end of the closed-door meeting, was signed on behalf of state government by Commissioner for Energy and Mineral Resources, Mr, Olalere Odubote,  and Deputy National President, NUPENG, Solomon Kilanko signed on behalf of  NUPENG. It read:

Security Agenda: The state government will meet with 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(louts) will be handled by relevant government agencies and a dedicated phone number will be established, within the next week, to ensure that petroleum products transporters have prompt access to security agencies.

Ad hoc levies: The issue of extra-ordinary levies on tankers drivers by a particular local government will be investigated and local government will immediately be advised to collect only levies that are legally due.

Bad Roads:  It is understood by the parties that road works are a necessary path to progress; the state government will continue to relate with all road users in the planning and execution of road works in the state

Over-loading: The downstream petroleum union has committed to ensuring that all tankers are loaded within the capacities provided for in the regulations and communicated by DPR.

Timing of Movement: Lagos State will within the next one week review the restriction of timing of movement of the petroleum tankers and advise a resolution to ease their access to the tank farms. Union also notes that the ongoing road works are a temporary inhibitor of movement.

Coordination: Lagos State Government will immediately set up a standing committee to relate with the union on an ongoing basis to address any issues as may arise.

Others in attendance were Executive Council members: Commissioner for Transportation, Dr. Fred Oladeinde; Local Government and Community Affairs, Dr. Wale Ahmed; Information and Strategy Commissioner, Gbenga Omotoso; Babatunde Williams and Vice Chairman, Presidential Task Team, Mr. Kayode Opeifa,

VANGUARD

Representatives of the Lagos State Government and leadership of the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers, NUPENG are currently in a latest meeting in Alausa, Ikeja to resolve issues surrounding on-going strike embarked by Petroleum Tanker Drivers, PTD, in Lagos.

The Monday intervention, according to the state government became necessary to avert possible fuel scarcity and crisis that could result from the strike.

Recall that NUPENG had last Friday, August 7, directed members of the PTD, in Lagos zone to shut fuel distribution in Lagos and its environs over take-over of access roads to tank farms and fuel depots by containerised trucks, among other grievances.

The union is also protesting deplorable state of the roads and alarming extortion of tanker drivers by security operatives in Lagos and its environs.

NUPENG in a statement by its President and General Secretary, Prince Williams Akporeha and Olawale Afolabi, respectively, lamented perceived failure of various authorities in the State to address three major issues that have severely caused pains and harrowing experiences on the hapless petroleum drivers in the state for several months.

The state Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr Gbenga Omotoso confirmed the meeting, adding that relevant stakeholders are in attendance.

Also confirming the meeting, Special Adviser to the state Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu on Transportation, Mr. Oluwatoyin Fayinka, said, “We are in discussion with the representatives of the  petroleum union. We have been on it since last week, we will further the discussion again to resolve the differences and avert possible fuel scarcity in the state.”More in Home

Fayinka, expressed believe that the  outcome of the latest meeting will be positive in the interest of the general public.

Source: Vanguard

The Lagos State Government says all roads and bridges under construction in Apapa, the nation’s port city, will be completed by October.

Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu gave the assurance on Sunday during an inspection tour of roads and bridges under construction in Apapa area of Lagos.

Mr Sanwo-Olu said that the traffic gridlocks experienced in the axis would be cleared once the projects were completed.

The governor visited the Costain bridge, Alaka bridge, Ijora bridge, Marine bridge, Liverpool, Lillypond and Mile 2, among others.

He said that there was a need to overhaul the entire Apapa road network to improve journey time in and out.

”We need to work in a methodological order and see how we redevelop the whole of Apapa.

”The construction going on is expensive because they are all concrete roads, we have Liverpool and Creek roads all completed.

”I understand that by October, all this network of roads will be opened up to traffic,” Sanwo-Olu said.

He said that the state, in collaboration with the Nigerian Ports Authority, was building another port in Lekki, which would be ready in two years time, to ease the pressure on Apapa.

He said that the government was also in discussion with stakeholders and some private owners to create a proper holding bay and with the call system to get trucks out of the way and free the roads for easy movement.

”We need to use this opportunity to appeal to all operators to see how they can formalise themselves in a way in which we can have a better, orderly society.

”Effect of what they are doing is not only affecting the citizens, it is also affecting our way of life.

”People living in this environ are complaining on a daily basis that they are not having the best of time just because the port is here.

”We are working with various stakeholders and need to synergise to understand what their challenges are and how best to address them.

”As a government, we have commitment and a sense of responsibility to our people and must bring about an operation in an efficient system where we do not continue to experience the permanent gridlock that is typical of Apapa.

”We want to also be able to regenerate the improvement of the roads and bring proper life back to Apapa,” Mr Sanwo-Olu said. (NAN)

Source: Premium Times