Laide Raheem, Abeokuta
The Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria, South-West Zone, has suspended its plans to embark on industrial strike over the recent hike in the petrol pump price.
The decision to shelve the planned strike was taken at the Southwest Zonal meeting of IPMAN, held in Abeokuta, the Ogun state capital on Wednesday.
The association had on Monday threatened to embark on strike if the government failed to wade into the petrol price hike.
IPMAN bemoaned the federal government’s inconsistency in dealing with the stakeholders, saying the government ought to have involved marketers and other parties before announcing any increment.
Briefing newsmen after the meeting, the South-West Chairman of IPMAN, Dele Tajudeen, disclosed that the planned strike was suspended following talks with the Ogun State Director of Department of State Security (DSS) David Tuska, who promised to intervene on behalf of the union.
The IPMAN boss said the mediation will take place after the Salah celebration at the end of July.
He said: “Some days back, we expressed our mind about the incessant increment of petroleum products without due consultations with IPMAN, which is a very serious stakeholder in the industry.
“In the light of this, we put up our grievances, and as a matter of fact, we had agreed to go on strike, but two days ago, the state Director of DSS, Mr David Tuska, put a call across to me for a discussion and we agreed to meet today (Wednesday) in his office.”
“We were warmly received, and we highlighted our grievances. He came in and he gave us good support. He promised to mediate between NNPC, FG and our union. He appealed that we shelve the strike in the interest of the nation and to honour his office, the Western Zone executive and the unit Chairmen and stakeholders have all agreed to put the strike aside pending when he is going to intervene.”