By Chukwuma Umeorah
Chairman of the Petroleum Tankers Drivers (PTD) branch of the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG), Augustine Egbon, has outlined a transformative four-point agenda aimed at enhancing the well-being and progress of its members in the downstream sector.
The key areas of focus include better working conditions for tanker drivers, safety on the roads, member welfare, and collaboration with security agencies.
During a press conference at the national headquarters of the union in Abuja, Egbon expressed his commitment to working harmoniously with critical stakeholders in the sector to elevate the Union and the Nigerian oil and gas industry. He emphasized the shift from an era of dictatorship and violence to an era of peace and hope renewal.
In his words, “We have four cardinal agenda for our highly committed and dedicated members across the nation and we shall pursue these agendas with all the human and material resources at our disposal, the era of dictatorship and violence is over and this is the era of peace and renewal of hope in similar manner and spirit with the current national drive for a renewal of hope.”
Egbon highlighted the deteriorating condition of highways which he described as the ‘workplace for tanker drivers’ and pledged to collaborate with the Minister of Works and the Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA) to enhance road infrastructure. He also committed to negotiating with the Nigerian Association of Road Transport Owners (NARTO) to improve the salaries and allowances of drivers, ensuring favorable returns on owners’ investments.
Addressing safety concerns, Egbon noted that the union was saddened each time a member was lost or injured through accidents and promised to curtail road accidents through improved training of its drivers.
“We shall continue to work with the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) to minimize accidents by dedicating more funds for training of our members on Safety on the Wheels as well as improving the skills and competencies of our Vehicle Inspection Officers to ensure the prevention of accidents before they happen,” he promised.
Egbon assured members that over 2000 accredited hospitals across the country would cater to Petroleum Tanker Drivers in case of accidents or emergency health issues, aiming to eliminate losses due to minor ailments.
“Our members health and social care will be given priority in our regime. We have reached an agreement with Leadway Health LTD (HMO) to provide health insurance for all Petroleum Tanker Drivers on the wheel. This will give every driver access to health care whenever and wherever they travel to in the course of their services to the nation. The era of losing our members to minor ailments is over.”
Regarding harassment complaints, Egbon pledged to initiate programs with security agencies to prevent unwarranted intimidation and harassment from ‘bad eggs’ within these agencies.
He emphasized the union’s responsibility to engage with top leadership and collaborate with all rank-and-file members of security agencies.