Engineer S.E Okpithe (depot manager)
We all agree that parking of trucks on the roads need to be streamlined by the government, but in view of the recent strike by the tanker drivers and the involvement of the LASTMA officials, I think the LASTMA officials need to go for a serious orientation, because as a government official they should be able to educate the people first of all before they go about making seizures, there must be room for correction before you start contravening trucks, you don’t just jump into a truck, seize it and demand for a N150,000 bail, that is not how it is done in other countries.
We commend their efforts in changing the face of road transportation, but they must do it decently or else they will be sabotaging the efforts of the Governor and people will start to criticize him.
On the other hand also, if every individual will follow due process, the LASMA will have less work to do and the issue of constant strike will be reduced.
Ifeanyi Agu (Rain Oil)
I understand that the trailer park located at total bus stop along Oshodi – Apapa expressway and which belong to MRS oil was the cause of the strike because the LASTMA officials went there and arrested them for blocking the road since the inside was already filled up. Government should either close down the park because the location is not good enough or they should give them a particular amount of trucks that must be parked there at all time.
I won’t blame the tanker drivers but most of the owners of these tank farms, because they have failed to provide adequate packing space that can accommodate their tankers, they should be ordered by government to get one.
Godfrey Okorie (Depot manager)
To me, the recent strike is as a result of the nonchalant attitude of the tanker drivers.The government should find stringent measures to enforce all tanker owners to go and make use of the trailer park which have been provided at Orile instead of blocking the expressway with their trucks. But some of them will like to complain that the place is too far to the loading point and that the money is too much, I think they should be forced to use that facility.
Another thing is that the security agencies do compromise their work, so on this note the government should have another monitoring group that will check their activities.
Also, government should look into the excesses of the NUPENG because most of the time they think they are above the law or because they have a union so they can go on strike or do as they wish, no body should be above the law.
Mr. Ihenacho Uzouchukwu (Oil Force petroleum)
I don’t think the incessant strike can be eradicated because of natural occurrences, it can only be minimized. First of all, government should caution their agencies in carrying out and implementing the law because they are dealing with human beings. If they refused to carry out their duty decently, the people will want to demonstrate. I can blame them for that.
Also, the government should be careful in dealing with the NUPENG officials because they are dangerous in the sense that they can build or cripple the economy of a nation because, in any strike there will be loss of money and business will not go on well.
Kehinde Ogundare (Conoil, Seme border)
If anybody is doing something that is wrong and you fail to correct him, he will never know he is wrong, I think the LASTMA should be blamed for the strike and the preferred solution is for Lagos state government to call them to order because this is not the first time they are disagreeing with the union over seizure of petroleum tankers.
It is not only that, the tankers also complained of constant harassment from the Navy and the mobile police, government should look into all this and correct them.
Ibiere Charles (Transporter)
First of all, we have noticed that the LASMA like to use force in doing everything which was the cause of the strike, Lagos state government should look into their affairs and caution them because it is not only tanker drivers that they maltreat, they do it to drivers of public vehicles and even privates vehicles.
Also, the NUPENG officials should try and make sure they comply with existing laws, nobody is above the law of the land, and they should not just go on strike at any little excuse.
Kunle Ayantayo (VIO, Ibafon jetty)
To me, in as much as there are still governments policies, strike actions will still occur because government policy at times may not be favourable and the union will react. In the strike between us and LASTMA, what I think government should do is caution both parties against future occurrences and get the trucks released without paying fine..
Also, the national body of NUPENG should try and educate the PTD unit because some of them can be negligent at times and hide under the fact that there is a union to fight for them; there is no need to park along the expressway when there is a park provided for them by the unit.
Ossai Uwaka (Petroleum marketer)
The MRS trailer park at Toyota bus stop belonging to Dangote was the last straw for the strike action. The tankers drivers have been planning to go on strike before now, but for different reasons. In any case, that park should be closed down because it is affecting movement of traffic too. If this is not done, another problem might emanate from it.
I will not lay blames on anybody than to say that we should all try and be law abiding. Also, in implementing the law, it should not be carried out like area boys, but should be done carefully.
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