Egbon, PTD National Chairman Assures of Members' Welfare, Unity of NUPENG Branches

The newly elected national chairman of the Petroleum Tanker Drivers (PTD) branch of the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers NUPENG, Comrade Augustine Egbon has assured tanker drivers of enhanced welfare package just as he solicited their support in forging unity among the various branches of NUPENG. 

Comrade Egbon pointed out that NUPENG is the father of all the labour unions in the petroleum sector of the economy.

Comrade Egbon stated this in his opening remarks at a meeting of stakeholders of PTD branch of NUPENG and other members of the informal sector of NUPENG held at the Warri zonal office of PTD on Thursday, 16 November to formerly welcome Comrade Augustine Egbon who was elected the national chairman of PTD branch of NUPENG at the special delegates conference held at Ibadan on October 31.

Comrade Egbon while thanking members of PTD branch of NUPENG from Warri zone and other NUPENG affiliates for supporting him to clinch the national championship position of PTD assured them that their welfare is upper most in his agenda, adding that as a tanker driver himself who rose through the ranks in the union, he knows their challenges assuring he has started addressing them.

"Irrespective of which ever branch of NUPENG you belong, we are all one, NUPENG is our father. You know that if a man has ten children, he'll give different names to those ten children. That doesn't mean they're no longer his children because they are called different names. That is why you have PTD branch of NUPENG, IMB branch of NUPENG and so on. We are ready to tow the footsteps of our father, NUPENG. 

"Let me state here that the campaigns before the election has come and campaigns are now over. Some were were saying let NUPENG leave PTD alone. Which name do you want to adopt if not NUPENG? Those are campaigns and they stop when the campaigns ended. 

"We called this meeting today to tell you that all the stakeholders from the various groups, we have met and we have discussed, the leadership of various groups are here also. 

"We want to thank you for our election, introduce the national officers from Warri zone to you all.

"Before now when an OGS member comes to the petrol loading deport our unit chairman will see him as a rebel. He will not realise that he's of the same father with the OGS man with him from PTD. I will not welcome that era.

"If a man from another branch of NUPENG enters your office, welcome him with all your heart, he's your brother, the same family of NUPENG. Assist him to get what he's requesting from you if it's possible. If it is not possible for you to assist him get what he wants, explain to him and seek his understanding why you are unable to assist him.

"These are some of the Resolutions we took earlier at the leadership meeting. We resolved to work together and work as a unit.

Not that when there is strike you will see PMW selling petrol at petrol stations and we say NUPENG is on strike and we know that PMW has its leadership among us.

When NUPENG announces strike, all branches are expected to join immediately", Comrade Egbon admonished.

He told members that there is upward adjustment of allowances at the unit levels in all the petrol loading depots in the country adding that their take home from this month end will increase.

"Am a tanker driver and I know your pains and I'll address them. We shall continue to increase your take allowances little by little from time to time", the PTD national chairman assured.

Also speaking the zonal chairman, NUPENG, Warri Zone, Comrade Innocent Iyere assured PTD branch members of NUPENG of the desire of the national chairman, Comrade Augustine Egbon to address their challenges noting that he's a man of peace and has been putting structures in place to enhance peace in the union.

"Let me thank of you for being able to be here today and we thank God for giving us this grace of having this kind of peace. We pray that this peace will be sustained all over the country so that our brother that is the national chairman today will now enjoy this peace everywhere in this country. 

"Like the national chairman said, all of us in NUPENG are one. Now am talking because am in NUPENG and its PTD branch that sent me to NUPENG as Zonal chairman. We have sixty eight units in NUPENG under warri zone, including Shell, Chevron and we are all one and I am the one overseeing them and am from PTD branch". 

High point of the meeting was the introduction of the other members the national executive from Warri zone who emerged during the last special delegates congress of PTD branch of NUPENG at Ibadan and the presentation of a congratulatory card to Comrade Augustine Egbon by members of NUPENG.

Present were Dangote transporters and other informal sector branches of NUPENG were on ground to pledge their support and solidarity to NUPENG for peaceful conduct of the PTD branch election and to the new leadership of PTD branch.