Tanker drivers protest poor welfare in Cross River

Petroleum Tankers Drivers Association (PTD), Cross River State branch has staged a protest in Calabar, alleging that over 40 tanker drivers are at the moment languishing in prison custody across the 36 states of the federation on charges ranging from accident to incomplete weight bill.

This was stated by spokespersons of PTD Tanker Drivers Association, Cross River State Branch, Comrade Ibrahim Osa and his counterpart Abdullahi Adamu on Monday in Calabar.

Speaking to journalists on Monday in Calabar, during a protest led by Petroleum Tanker Drivers at the NNPC Esuk Utang tank farm, Calabar, spokespersons reject the imposition of PTD leaders on them.

“Over 40 of our members are suffering in prison custody without nobody coming to their rescue or making attempt to intervene in their cases.

“Driver on the Wheels are dying, NUPENG cannot select any Chairman for us.

“NUPENG are cheating us. We used to do elections in the past, now election period has come Afolabi and co want to impose non-driver on us as Chairman.

“As drivers, we have driven with nothing to show. NUPENG show allow us to conduct our elections”. The duo stated.

While accusing NUPENG leaders of imposing farmers and carpenters on them even when these people have nothing to do with tankers driving, PTD urged Olatidi and Kilanko not to interfere with tankers drivers’ election.

PTD insisted that they are interested in joining National Association of Road Transport Owners NATO, stressing that they have been working with no insurance coverage as if they were slaves.

Reacting to the protest in a telephone conversation, the representative of the Nigerian National Union of Petroleum Workers NUPENG, Mr. Peter Joshua, said NUPENG was not aware of any protest happening in Calabar due to the repressive trend against tanker drivers.

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