Posted on: 01:38 Wed, 25 Mar 2020



Nigeria may be hit by Fuel scarcity as the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) set to observe sit-at-home due to the Coronavirus outbreak.

NUPENG has expressed concerns over the Coronavirus pandemic saying it may order its members and those of affiliates to stay at home from Friday if the well-being of tanker drivers, marketers, suppliers among others was not guaranteed and this is set to cause scarcity of fuel.

In a statement on Tuesday night by National President, Williams Eniredonana Akporeha and General Secretary, Afolabi Olawale, it noted that its members render critical services to the nation on a daily basis in these critical times.

It noted that the Petroleum Tanker Drivers (PTD), Petrol Station Workers (PSW), Petroleum Depots Workers, Independent Marketers Employees, Oil and Gas Suppliers (OGS), Surface Tankers Kerosene Peddlers (SUKATEP), Liquefied Petroleum Gas Retailers, (LPGAR) and others were becoming highly vulnerable to coronavirus.

“NUPENG is seriously monitoring the unfolding situation while also putting into account the safety and welfare of these vulnerable and integral segments of our membership, which are of paramount concern to us”, it read.

“In the light of the above, the Union may be forced to direct these workers to stay at home with effect from 00:00hrs on Friday 27th March 2020, this is a very difficult decision but necessary and important with respect to the safety of these set of workers.”