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BY KENNETH JUDE
The persistent fuel scarcity occasioned by the strike action embarked upon by the Petroleum Tankers (PTD), for more than one week in Akwa Ibom State has come to an end.
This is sequel to the resolutions reached at a meeting between Akwa Ibom State Government and representatives of the Petroleum Tankers’ Drivers (PTD), Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) and the Nigeria Union of Petroleum & Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) held in the office of the Secretary to the State Government on Monday.
This more was contained in a press release signed by the Special Assistant to the governor on Petroleum Matters, Engr. Festus Sunday, MNSE, the Deputy National President of NUPENG, Comrade Bassey Harry and the National Treasurer of the Petroleum Tankers’ Drivers (PTA), Canaan Otu.
The release has directed sellers of Petroleum products in the state to immediately revert to the Government regulated price of N145.00 per litre, adding that failure to comply with the directive will attract sanctions.
The release made available to our reporter read: “the strike action has been called off in order to avoid continued hardship caused on the generality of Akwa Ibom people and residents.”
The Special Assistant to the governor however apologized to the people of Akwa Ibom for the hardship they suffered over the period the strike lasted.
According to the release, the decision of the union is based on the intervention of the State Government in the face off that led to the strike action.
The release also urged the Petroleum Tankers’ Drivers and members of the Law Enforcement Agencies on routine duties in the state to always conduct themselves within the ambit of the law in the discharge of their responsibilities.
Meanwhile, the Secretary to the State Government, Dr Emmanuel Ekuwem, has called on Petroleum marketers and their allied partners not to embark on strike again, due to what he termed as the attendant suffering it poses to the people.
Ekuwem who spoke in his office shortly after the suspension of the strike, noted that those greatly affected by the strike were ordinary citizens, adding that strike actions do not favour anybody.
The SSG noted that the Akwa Ibom State Government is only intervening in the crisis due to the hardship the fuel scarcity has brought to the people, adding that the government was not involved in the crisis, but only stepping in as a peacemaker.
“You know that government was not at the check point when the incident happened. The Police was responsible not government. Government was not involved, but only intervening as a peacemaker to ensure that things are better for Akwa Ibomites. Government is innocent in this matter and is stepping in for peace to reign. The economy has suffered in the past five days due to this strike,” he stated.
He thanked everyone for the result achieved, adding however that the fuel scarcity was not good for the economy of the state, even as he called on drivers to always obey the Police.
Responding, the Deputy National President of NUPENG, Comrade Bassey Harry, said as a union they don’t celebrate strike actions.
He noted that the issue that snowballed into the strike action began in September last year, saying that had there been immediate intervention from appropriate quarters, the strike could not have been embarked upon.
While apologising to the people of the state for the strike, Mr. Harry commended the effort of the State Government made through the SSGs office in intervening in the crisis, noting that “For my 28 years in this union, this is the first time I’ve seen a government take an action like this.”
He promised to take the SSGs message back home, saying that “we’ll raise these issues of talking to our members about dealing with police on the Road.”
