Tanker drivers call off strike

Striking petroleum tanker drivers have called off their strike less than 24 hours after it commenced.

The Petroleum Tankers Drivers, PTD section of the Nigerian Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers, NUPENG, commenced the strike on Monday.

NUPENG President, Igwe Achese, announced on Monday evening the decision to immediately call off the strike following the intervention of the NNPC management in the crisis.

The tanker drivers had said at the end of their Central Working Committee, CWC, meeting in Lagos on Friday that they were embarking on the strike pursuant to their demands which included welfare matters.

Mr. Achese had said the welfare issues included the perennial problem of bad roads, poor salaries and other conditions of service, insecurity and alleged high-handedness of some security operatives against their members.

However, in calling off the strike, Mr. Achese said the Group Managing Director of NNPC, Maikanti Baru, had demonstrated sufficient commitment by his management to resolve the issues.

Earlier at the opening of the meeting, Mr. Baru said the federal government had approved the immediate increment of bridging cost allowance payable to petroleum product marketers by 16.13 per cent.

He said the approval by the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Ibe Kachikwu, raised the allowance from the current N6.20 per litre to N7.20 with immediate effect.