Fuel tanker drivers at the weekend threatened to cause a fresh fuel supply crisis if the Government fails to enforce the compulsory installation of Safety Valves in all Petroleum trucks.
They expressed that the installation of Safety Values is to protect the inflammable contents from spilling over in a situation of road mishaps.
Rising under the protection of the Petroleum Tanker Drivers (PTD) branch of the National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG), the tanker drivers also threatened to withdraw services of its members if the Nigerian Association of Road Transport Owners (NARTO) failed to negotiate the renewal of the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) for new working conditions for tanker drivers.
Petroleum Tanker Drivers (PTD) in an official report signed by its National Chairman, Comrade Salmon Akanni Oladiti, issued a 14-day ultimatum to NARTO to initiate new conditions of service for petroleum tanker drivers starting effective 27th day of March 2021.
Also, it urged the Federal Government to ensure that the installation of safety valve is made mandatory in all petroleum trucks with effect from 1st of May 2021.
The report reads: “The Branch Executive Council in session is not unmindful of the pains and discomforts our decisions and intending actions will have on the general public but these are hard and difficult decisions we must take for the sake of our members and even the general public.
“The council in session noted with deep pains that the expiring collective bargaining agreement has been in operation for the past six years even when the country has been experiencing spiral inflationary trend that is further complicated by destructive powers of COVID 19 pandemic.
“It expressed deep worries that Petroleum Tanker Drivers have been going through harrowing financial situations even while rendering selfless national services, to ensure delivery of Petroleum products to homes and factories in every nook and crannies of this country, day and nights, in good and bad weather and on highly deplorable highways.
“The branch executive council in session therefore resolved that following the continuing agitations of their members and the seeming hesitation of NARTO to negotiate the renewal of the CBA, the branch will no longer be able to guarantee the continued service of our members in the petroleum products distribution across the country if a new conditions of service for Petroleum Tanker Drivers is not provided for in the next fourteen days with effect from today 27th day of March 2021.
“They discussed with sadness, pains and deep worries, the increasing rate of fire incidences involving petroleum trucks with accompanying massive destruction of lives and properties of our members and general public.
“The Council noted with deep concerns the government’s dilly dallying attitude towards the enforcement of the compulsory installation of Safety Valves in all Petroleum trucks to protect the inflammable contents of these trucks from spilling over in a situation of road mishaps.
“It also expressed disappointment over the failure of the Federal Government to live up to its various commitments with various stakeholders in several meetings called by the government on the same matter. Insensitive government officials and unscrupulous businessmen will no longer be allowed to keep destroying the lives of its members and innocent general public. These fire accidents are becoming too many but definitely avoidable.
“It is in the well informed opinion of the council in session that these safety valves if installed will go a long way in reducing the rate of fire accidents involving petroleum trucks and therefore save precious lives and properties,” the council said
“In the light of the above, the Executive Council in session resolved to direct all our members to withdraw their services if installation of Safety valve is not made mandatory in all petroleum trucks with effect from 1st of May 2021, in view of the fact that our members are usually the first casualties in any situation of fire accidents involving petroleum trucks,” it stated.