Strike causes fuel scarcity in Rivers state

There is panic in Port Harcourt, Rivers State as fuel scarcity hits the city, following an action by the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers, NUPENG.

Many filling stations in the city have refused to sell while others are closed this morning.

The fuel scarcity follows a strike action by tanker drivers in the state.

It would be recalled that there have been unresolved issues between the Demobilisation Taskforce of the state government and tankers drivers in the state.


It was learned that the taskforce had impounded two tankers and arrested some drivers over an offence that could not be ascertained at press time and had refused to release the same despite some interventions by NUPENG.

Chairman of NUPENG, Port Harcourt Zone, Mr Alex Egwanwo, disclosed that the cause of the action was following the lingering issues between the state government taskforce and the Union.

Egwanwo noted that its members were still been detained alongside their trucks, regretting that the government failed to implement the outcome of their meeting.

He said: “You are aware of the lingering issue between the government taskforce and the Union. As we speak our members are still in detention and their trucks still ceased.

“Let the government release our members and their trucks. We are not after those arrested in illegal business, but those our members who they arrested without due cause.

“We embarked on this action to protect the interest of our members. We understand the plight of the masses which we are part of but, we want social justice for our members.” // <\/s'+'cript>'); // --> //]]> From ICE