Petroleum Tanker Drivers (PTD) has pledged its commitment to working with state governments to advocate for impactful policies and programmes in the interest of citizens.
The Chairman of the PTD Branch of the Nigerian Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas (NUPENG), Lucky Osezua, said this in a joint statement with other leaders of the union on Tuesday.
The leadership of the union was reacting to the recent tanker explosion incident that occurred in Niger, claiming several lives and leaving many others injured.
The leaders expressed sorrow over the incident, attributing its cause to deplorable road infrastructure and the attitudes of some citizens who were scooping the spilt petroleum product.
“An accident of such magnitude has collateral consequences, affecting not only the victims and their families but the tanker drivers too and also the entire nation.
“We are appealing to the governments to give attention to critical infrastructure like roads and prioritising safety, support victims, and prevent future occurrences of an ugly incident like this,” the leaders said.
They appealed to all relevant authorities and stakeholders in the transportation and petroleum industries to reinforce stricter safety measures in the transportation of highly inflammable materials.
“This is to avoid similar tragedies in the future,” they said.
The leaders further called on the Ministry of Works to intensify efforts in fixing all bad portions of federal roads.
“This is to ensure the safety of road users, as well as protect the assets and investments of taxpayers whose livelihoods and income are dependent on road transportation,” the union said.
They commended President Bola Tinubu for mandating the National Orientation Agency to inaugurate a nationwide educational campaign against the risks associated with scooping petroleum products.
The leaders also commended Gov. Mohammed Bago of Niger State, and other relevant emergency agencies for their quick and decisive actions that brought relief amid the tragedy. (NAN)
