The National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) wants Federal Government to embark on massive rehabilitation of federal roads in the country, to ease transportation of petroleum products.
NUPENG National Chairman, South-West zone, Mr Tokunbo Korodo, made the appeal in Lagos on Sunday. According to Korodo, rehabilitation of bad roads in the country would reduce unnecessary delay of petroleum tanker drivers, who lose a lot of time on the roads while delivering petroleum products to their final destinations.
“Most of the federal roads plied by petroleum tankers have become death traps and this is causing a lot of accidents to our tanker drivers; Oshodi-Apapa Express Road, Okene-Lokoja and Owo-Akoko roads are in deplorable conditions.
“Government should ensure that all these roads are repaired this year to ease the movement of all vehicles plying the roads,” he said.
The NUPENG boss also urged Federal Government to find solution to incessant breaches of pipelines by vandals across the nation. According to him, adequate protection of the pipelines would ensure return of normal petrol distribution and loading activities at all abandoned NNPC depots nationwide.
He also urged the Federal Government to ensure job security for workers in the oil and gas industry and drastically reduce the issue of contract staffing.
The union would give “adequate support to the government to make it succeed in its efforts to keep Nigerians smiling,” he assured.
By Olisemeka Obeche (with NAN reports)