By Victor Ahiuma-Young

NATIONAL Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers, NUPENG, weekend, insisted that its embargo on fuel supplies to Abia and Imo states over insecurity of members, especially tanker drivers, would continue until there was concrete evidence that the government of the two states were ready to address the issue.

The oil workers, who on 31  May, suspended supplies of petroleum products to both Abia and Imo states, are complaining and protesting among others, alleged increasing abduction of members by kidnappers who demand outrageous ransoms and unabated cases of extortion, harassment and threat to life of members by security operatives.

Chairman of OGS branch of NUPENG and National Security Co-ordinator, NUPENG, Comrade Benneth Korie, told Vanguard yesterday that the embargo would continue, despite ongoing discussions with Imo State government on the possibility of resuming products supply to the state.

Faults Abia amnesty programme

He said although no line of communication or discussion had been established between Abia State government and leaders of NUPENG, the amnesty offer to kidnappers in the state by the government did little or nothing to stop kidnappers.

Korie reiterated the union’s position that normal supplies would not resume in the affected states until the governments of the two states guaranteed and ensured the safety of members, their trucks and products.

He said:  “This is to inform the general public that NUPENG has withdrawn its members and fuel supplies to Abia and Imo states for cases of abduction of our members by unknown persons who demand outrageous ransoms.

Blasts security agents
“The security agents in those two states have continued to extort, harass, intimidate and even threaten the life of our members for no just cause. We can no longer tolerate these criminal activities targeted at our members who are performing their legitimate duties. While the abductors are on the rise with outrageous ransom demands, the security operatives instead of doing their work by apprehending crimes and criminals,  protect law abiding citizens, go about extorting, harassing and intimidating our members.

“The kidnappers will on the one hand threaten to kill our members who they abduct if the demanded ransom is not paid, the security operatives, on the other hand, also threaten to shoot our members who refuse to part with money demanded. How can we work under these situations?

“Because of these issues, we decided to halt product supplies to the two states. We actually stopped products supplies to the two states since 31 May.

“Although Imo State government is already talking with us on a way forward, we need more than mere talk show. We need guarantee that the lives of our members would be protected and that the security agents would stop extorting, harassing and even threatening the life of our members.”