Petroleum Tanker Drivers will have to adhere strictly to the government directives on improved personal hygiene and social distancing or risk facing stiffer penalties for showing recalcitrant or nonchalant attitude.
The National Chairman, Petroleum Tanker Drivers (PTD) Branch of NUPENG, Comrade (Otunba) Salimon Akanni Oladiti (JP) said this on a phone interview with the Sunrise on Channels TV, Saturday morning (March 28, 2020) with the anchor man, Nneota Egbe.
According to the Union leader, there will be a task force presence across locations in the country to ensure that the Petroleum Tanker Drivers are fully kitted with gloves, sanitizers and nose masks.
He said, “being of essential services to this nation, we have directed all our members across the country that they should be fully kitted with gloves, sanitizers and nose masks. They are also expected to observe other protocols for managing Covid-19 while discharging their duties.
“As from Monday, any of our members that do not comply with this directives will not be allowed to enter any petroleum depot in the country, and we already have a task force to ensure full compliance”.
The PTD Chief added that in line with the social distancing directives, tanker drivers would only be allowed to carry one person along, either an auxiliary driver or a motor boy.
“We have a taskforce spread across the country to enforce this directive. It is a task that must be done to ensure the safety of our lives and our people. I wish to appeal to our members to continue to closely observe the preventive measures already announced by the government at all levels, WHO and NCDC.” he stated.
Meanwhile, the national Leadership of the umbrella body of the Union (NUPENG) which PTD is part of, addressed the press on Monday morning about how it proactively sent out customized sanitizers, gloves, nose mask etc, to various operational locations, Drivers Stop-Over Spots and loading points.
The Union as well informed how it carefully engaged a competent pharmaceutical company with good track records known as ADCEM Pharmaceutical Company to produce specifically for NUPENG members in the informal sector that render essential services across the nooks and crannies of Nigeria.
The Leadership also handed over more sanitizers which came in 10 litres transparent jerry cans to serve as refill for dispensers with other safety kits to all zonal offices in Port Harcourt, Kaduna, Warri and of course Lagos.
The Chairman, Lagos Zone of PTD Branch of NUPENG, Comrade Akinlolu Olabisi and the Secretary, Comrade Abidoye Lawal received the items on behalf of Lagos and other zones in the country on Monday at the Jibowu national secretariat of NUPENG.
Over the weekend, several states have activated lockdown on their land borders, restricting entry of vehicles in order to check the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic. Lagos, Ogun and FCT Abuja are also part of the lockdown based on the Presidential directive that was made Sunday evening by President Muhammadu Buhari (GCFR).
The only exceptions to this lockdown are vehicles transporting petroleum products, food items and others who are strictly in the category of essential services.
