Tanker drivers disown PTD Elders group, seek prosection of members

Tanker drivers say a group operating under the name ‘Petroleum Tanker Drivers (PTD) Elders’ is a fictitious body impersonating genuine tanker drivers.

The tanker driver spoke at a press briefing in Lagos, according to a statement on Friday.

The Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) had disowned the group, on September 28.

The statement noted that the tanker drivers from Kaduna, Lagos, Port Harcourt, and Warri zones, also disowned the PTD Elders, seeking for their arrest and prosecution.

They accused the group, (which they noted is not known to the PTD bylaws and NUPENG constitution) of dishing out falsehood to members of the public.

Bashir Izalan, one of the tanker drivers from Kaduna zone, said he was surprised that a “faceless group was laying claim to membership of the PTD- NUPENG”.

“The only recognised national chairman we know is led by Comrade Egbon. His leadership is transparent, he gives us a sense of belonging because we can go to anywhere in the country and feel at home,” he said.

“If we fall sick, we have insurance and hospitals where we would be treated. If we have any problem either with our company or vehicles, the union is always ready and willing to solve the problem because drivers can approach any unit close to them at any point in time and explain themselves and the union will stand up and rescue them.”

He added that the union is always “handy and ready to come to our aid and solve our problems even before owners of the truck know of the problem”.

Speaking on behalf of tanker drivers in Lagos zone, Itanola Abiodun said the impostors do not belong to the union, appealing to security agents to fish them out for prosecution.

He said everybody who belongs to a union “has a unit and zone where that unit is located”.

“Then, they have PTD branch. Those units where they claimed they come from do not exist. We in those zones do not know them,” Abiodun said.

“Their names are not known to us at all. They should mention the units they belong to for discerning minds to vouch for their authenticity.

“They can not even say the units or zone they belong to. They are not speaking for us. They are impostors, hired to wreak havoc in our union.”

Chukwudi Okafor from the Port Harcourt zone denied claims that the PTD-NUPENG leadership enriched itself with check-off dues and loading fees paid by tanker drivers.

Dismissing the allegation as baseless, the tanker driver said funds collected from check-off dues and depot loading fees are used to support the welfare of tanker drivers, including health insurance coverage and urgent financial needs