The National Union of Edible Oil Tanker Drivers of Nigeria (NUEOTDN) has threatened to commence an industrial action on September 22 over alleged interference in its operations by the Petroleum Tanker Drivers (PTD) branch of the National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG).
Gatekeepers News reports that the union’s General Secretary, Tajudeen Usman, disclosed this at a news conference in Lagos on Saturday, according to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).
Usman, who represented the union’s President, Ilias Aperun, accused the PTD of jurisdictional encroachment, harassment and disruption of the activities of edible oil tanker operators.
He said NUEOTDN had sought the intervention of the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment, the Ministry of Health, security agencies and relevant regulatory authorities to resolve the dispute, but said the matter remained unresolved.
Usman stressed that the union was not opposed to legitimate businesses or the Federal Government’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
“Our objective is to protect the legitimate interests of our members and ensure that the transportation of edible oil and food-grade products is carried out in an orderly, safe, hygienic, and lawful environment,” he said.
The union’s general secretary also called for the deployment of dedicated tankers for the transportation of edible oil, warning against the use of vehicles previously employed to convey petroleum products.
According to him, using petroleum tankers to transport edible oil could raise concerns about food safety and hygiene.
Usman appealed to the Federal Government to resolve the jurisdictional dispute through the appropriate labour and government authorities.
He warned that failure to address the union’s demands would result in the commencement of the planned strike from midnight on September 22.
Usman also expressed concern that a prolonged disruption to the transportation of edible oil could affect supplies across the country and potentially result in shortages and higher prices.
NLC Seeks Government Intervention
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Lagos State Council, has meanwhile called on the Federal Government to intervene urgently to prevent the dispute from escalating into an industrial crisis.
The NLC Lagos Vice-Chairman, Olabisi Idowu, urged the Federal and Lagos State governments, security agencies and the unions involved to convene a meeting to resolve the dispute.
Idowu also called for clearer definitions of union jurisdictions through the register of trade unions to prevent encroachment and future industrial disputes.
“We will not sit down and allow anybody to create any crisis, especially in Lagos. Lagos is peaceful, and we will not allow any individual or group of people to disturb the peace of Lagos State,” he said.
Also speaking, the President of the Marketers and Sellers of Edible Oil Association of Nigeria, Labaran Sidi, alleged that members of the association had experienced interference with their activities at refineries and depots.
Sidi said the association had complied with the requirements of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) to ensure that edible oil supplied to Nigerians met safety standards.
The association’s Vice-President, Victoria Oke, said edible oil tanker operators were separate from NUPENG because their members transported food products rather than petroleum products.
Oke alleged that some operators had been prevented from loading their products at refineries and had been asked to make payments to NUPENG despite having no affiliation with the union.
The dispute has raised concerns over the potential impact of an industrial action on the distribution of edible oil and other food-grade products if the matter is not resolved before the proposed strike date.
