The leadership of the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers has announced the suspension of its planned strike less than four hours to its commencement. The planned withdrawal of services by petroleum tanker drivers, was earlier scheduled to commence midnight of Sunday, October 10, 2021.

This suspension follows an understanding reached between the leadership of the union and the management of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation NNPC at a meeting held in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital today, October 10, 2021 and the expected outcome of a follow- up meeting, scheduled to hold on Tuesday, 12, October 2021 in Abuja as contained in the communique issued today by both parties.

A statement jointly signed by the President of the union, Comrade William Akporeha and the General Secretary, Comrade Afolabi Olawale, said the suspension of the planned action was predicated on the association’s belief that the agreements reached with the government today as well as at meeting of Tuesday 12th, October 2021 will be fulfilled to the letters.

The statement reads in part: “We wish to clearly made it known to all well-meaning Nigerians that have variously appealed to us on these issues that our planned was not intended to inflict further pains on Nigerians but to ensure observance of minimum safety standards on our highways for the good of lives and property.

“We are well aware of the impacts our actions usually have on the people, businesses and the nation at large but we cannot continue to watch as things continue to degenerate in our industry.

In the light of the above, the Union will not hesitate to re- commence the action without any notice if the understanding reached in these two meetings are not fully implemented within the timeframe agreed.

“With this, our petroleum tanker drivers are hereby directed to continue providing services for the efficient and effective distribution of petroleum products to homes and workplaces across the country, our solidarity remains constant for the union makes us strong”.

Recall that there were palpable fears in the country penultimate week over the looming scarcity of petroleum products, a development many feared might worsen the current economic crunch faced by the citizens occasioned by spiraling prices of essential products, especially food items and medications, among several others.

There were fears that the economic woes might worsen should the tanker drivers make good their threat of embarking upon an indefinite strike to protest poor safety standards of the nation’s major roads, many of which are in terrible state of disrepair. The suspension of this strike action has brought a sense of reprieve and succour to many Nigerians at least in the interim.