Tina Amanda
As scarcity of premium motor spirit (fuel) looms across Rivers State, due to the strike action embarked by Petroleum Tanker drivers, the National Treasurer of NUPENG, Comrade Alex Agwanwor, has said if the constant harassment and arrest of their members and trucks by security agencies, state government taskforce in some part of the state is not stopped, the strike action would continue.
He insisted that the Union can not continue to do business in a state where the lives and investment of its members are constantly under threat.
“In as much as we are doing a very good job, they should allow our Tanker drivers carry out their legal activities and not to keep harassing and arresting them for no just cause.
“We have endured enough, just on Monday 12 September, 2022, we were having meeting with the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of petroleum in the state; that same day, four trucks were arrested the tyres deflated and the drivers taken to the Police station.
“I want to commend the Police Division at IKwerre local government that refused to detain the Tanker drivers, but today the damages are done already on those trucks. We cannot continue to do business in such a manner, the issue needs to be addressed, we have called, written letters, given ultimatum and no response till now.
“These harassment and arrest is only happening in Rivers State, especially Emohua and IKwerre local government area axis. It is not happening in any other part of Nigeria. It has become a problem for us in this state, the only option left was to withdraw our members to avoid any further investment loses or threat to life”.
Meanwhile, the Chairman, National Union of Road Transport Workers, Aba Road-Portharcourt Unit, Nze Ononiwu blamed the fuel scarcity on the strike action embarked on by tanker drivers in the state.
According to him, many of its members have parked their cars due to the unavailability of fuel as well as the high cost of buying from black marketers.
Nze Ononiwu said taskforce should be set up to monitor the sale of petrol at filling stations to discourage indiscriminate hike of fuel pump price and other sharp practices.
Also, some commercial motorists have called on the government to intervene in order to end the scarcity as long queues and black market operators have resurfaced along major roads in the state in just two days.
They expressed sadness on the hardship faced by drivers in accessing fuel as most filling station in the state are not dispensing the product.
According to them, despite the scarcity of the product, most commercial drivers still maintained the old transport fare but fear that they may be forced to increase the fare if the scarcity persists.
