NIPCO TO BE EXEMPTED FROM FUTURE LOADING DISRUPTIONS - NUPENG

The Petroleum Tanker Drivers (PTD), a branch of the National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) has asserted that henceforth loading of products would not be disrupted at NIPCO on account of lack of parking space for trucks.

PTD National Chairman Comrade Timothy Ogbu made the assertion during an unscheduled visit to NIPCO expansive terminal owned by Independent Petroleum Marketers spread across the country with Purebond UK as core investors in Apapa ,Lagos .
The visit which was a fallout of the persistent plea to the union to exempt the Company from any industrial action on the basis of parking space for trucks as the company has a holding bay for over 200 trucks, a feat which was effectively put across to stakeholders at a meeting on Petroleum Tanker Trucks congestion at Apapa..

Comrade Ogbu who expressed delight over the massive area set aside for tanker parking in the depot said the persistent problem of trucks loitering the highways would not have arise if other downstream operators emulate NIPCO.
.

According to him, the holding bay which can conveniently accommodate over 200 trucks is a good development as it shows the commitment of NIPCO \in meeting the needs of all stakeholders noting that no other depot aside from Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) depots can boost of such facility.

He maintained that the parking area and some other complimentary services like canteen, restrooms being provided by the company are exemplary and that conscious efforts will be put in place to encourage other depot owners to emulate the company.

The chairman who lamented that had the union being aware of such facilities, the company would not have being grouped with other depot while declaring the last industrial action.

He maintained that the visit is big a eye opener and will be very instrumental to some radical changes that will take place in the sector in the next few months, especially as it relates to movement of trucks in Lagos area.

According to him, a lot of lessons and inferences can be drawn in the company’s pattern of both human and material administration as it relates to PTD members and their trucks.

Comrade Ogbu who was accompanied on the visit by some members of the National executives and the Chairman of the NIPCO PTD Alhaji Aliu Balogun said the last strike action by the union was not targeted at punishing Nigerians but to protect their members from undue confrontation with the Presidential Task Force on decongestion of Apapa roads.

He stressed that with the new zeal on the path of stakeholders on the Orile Truck Park, which is expected to accommodate about 400 under the first phase within the next few months the ugly trend of trucks parking on the highways will be a thing of the past.

Comrade Ogbu who regretted that all the depots at Ibafon were built without due consideration for parking space wondered how the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) gave them authority to construct the terminals.

Earlier while receiving the team on behalf of Management, Sales and Marketing Manager Mr Victor Adeyemi said the company had always appreciate the role of the union is managing tanker drivers and that explains the vantage position they are in the scheme of things.

He commended the wonderful support and understanding the company had being receiving from the PTD local chapter in NIPCO noting that the level of their cooperation is very commendable.

According to him, it has been mind bugling for the company each time the PTD calls for strike action on the account of lack of holding bay and NIPCO is lumped with depots without parking space.

He however expressed delight on the assurance given by the PTD National Chairman on the new line of thinking even as Sales and Marketing Manager the visit is another turning point in the company’s relations with the union which ranks as one of the NIPCO numerous publics in the sector.