Petroleum Tanker Drivers (PTD), a branch of the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) at the weekend urged the federal government to begin the repairs of major highways in the country to avoid the hardship that comes with the rainy season.
In a communiqué issued at the end of its quarterly National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting held in Benin, Edo state, the organisation said that this was even more important for projects for which funds have already been earmarked for their implementation by the government.
Besides, the PTD expressed disaffection with its exclusion from the ongoing Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) scheme of the present administration, which seeks to make cheaper fuels available for transporters.
The federal government had, at the end of its Federal Executive Council (FEC) meetings held in June and October, announced approval for the sum of N42.4 billion and N740 billion, respectively for repair of certain federal highways in the country.
The communiqué signed by Augustine Egbon and Oluchi Chinagorom, National Chairman and National Secretary respectively of the petroleum tanker drivers union, urged all the relevant federal agencies of government to take necessary measures to ensure that Nigerians get the value for the public funds.
PTD called on the relevant authorities to insist that the contractors fix the federal roads before the peak of the rainy season.
“We commend the federal government for giving favourable consideration to the repair of federal highways towards making the roads safer, passable and lessen the burden of transporters whose source of living depend on quality road networks.
“We recall that the present administration had in the last one year earmarked huge public funds to put the federal highways in good shape.
“In June this year, a total sum of N42.4 billion was approved by FEC as the cost of variation for three federal roads in the country. Again, last October, FEC approved N740 billion for the Berger stretch of the Abuja-Kano route.
“We want to also nudge the memory of Nigerians that under the past administration, specifically in 2021, the sum of N621.2 billion was approved for the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC) to use for the reconstruction of 21 federal roads spread across the six geopolitical zones in the country under what was called strategic intervention under the Federal Government Road Infrastructure and Refreshment Tax Credit Scheme.
“Having shown commitment to fix the roads, unlike its predecessor, we urge the federal government to walk the talk by pushing the contractors to site before the commencement of the rainy season,” the PTD added.
It argued that the unnecessary delay on the part of government and contractors could be inimical to the interest of Nigerian commuters and transporters as it would be counter- productive to resort to desperate measures during the rainy season.
“A stitch in time saves nine. We don’t want a situation where untouchable contractors will abandon site and be holding the government to ransom by demanding for variation of cost.
“We further appeal to the federal government to redeem its pledge on the repair of Shagamu-Benin road,the Makurdi-Katsina-Ala road, the Kachako-Dambazua road in Kano State, Yola-Hong-Mubi road in Adamawa State. Last but not the least are the Okene-Auchi -Benin; Lanai-Agai-Bida.
“Attention must also be given to the East West road from Benin-Warri to Port Harcourt in deplorable condition,” the tanker drivers maintained.
The union which decried its exclusion from the list of beneficiaries of CNG kits further appealed to the relevant government ministry to integrate it into the disbursement.
“As a player in the downstream oil and gas sector involved in haulage of petroleum products, tanker drivers have been excluded from the CNG scheme. There have been no CNG kits for tanker drivers. We can use CNG too to power our tankers. It isn’t only for people using smaller cars. Tankers also need cheaper fuel,” the PTD argued.
