Wike Intervenes On NUPENG Strike

The Governor of Rivers
State, Chief Nyesom Wike, has waded into the industrial action embarked by members of the National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) over the deplorable condition of the Eleme-Refinery axis of the East-West Road in the state.
The National Industrial Relations Officer of NUPENG, Comrade Bassey Harry, who disclosed this to newsmen, said the governor called for a meeting with the leadership of NUPENG barely 24 hours after the strike was declared.
Bassey, who described the meeting between NUPENG and the governor as a fruitful one said the governor promised to visit the bad road by himself and commence filling up of the terrible spots that had become the source of concern for the tanker drivers.
According to the Industrial Relations Officer, the union would immediately begin to consult the national body and if the state government made good its promise of filling up the bad spots, then the union would likely call off the strike.
He said the strike was justifiable in view of the terrible condition of the roads leading to tank farms and refineries in the state.
Bassey particularly mentioned that between Eleme Junction to Oyigbo, and Eleme Junction to the Refineries, remarking that petroleum tanker drivers had suffered so much because of the poor conditions of the roads.
He lauded the governor for his concerns over the road even though it is a federal road remarking that at the inception of his administration, Wike also intervened when the road was in a terrible condition.
It would be recalled that NUPENG declared strike because of the road last weekend.
The Tide reports that the strike did not affect petroleum products as marketers were yet to sell off their old stock but the situation raised fears amongst members of the public.

Chris Oluoh