Some Benin residents have appealed to the federal government to intervene in the ongoing industrial action embarked upon by the Petroleum Tanker Drivers (PTD) Branch of the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG).
They made the appeal as the strike action has already started to take a toll on individuals and businesses that rely on petrol for their daily running.
The tanker drivers had declared a strike that commenced today over Dangote Refinery’s plan to deploy four thousand compressed natural gas (CNG)-powered trucks for direct fuel distribution, bypassing existing tanker drivers.
The initiative, according to NUPENG, threatens thousands of jobs and violates the right of workers to unionize.
The strike action has resulted in fuel scarcity across Benin City with attendant hike in transport fare, as most petrol stations were not dispensing Petroleum Products.
Some pupils and other residents have resorted to walking a long distance due to the limited number of vehicles on the roads.
Reacting to the situation, some Benin residents appealed to the federal government to intervene in the dispute among the warring parties to bring a lasting solution.
Meanwhile, the Minister of Labour and Employment, Muhammad Dingyadi, had on Sunday confirmed that the ministry had invited all parties to a meeting in Abuja to find a solution to the challenge.
