Frustrated Petroleum Station Workers have called for recognition and organisation under the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers to protect their rights and improve their standard of living.
At a press conference in Kaduna on Thursday, Ibrahim Zango, spokesperson for the PSWs, lamented the excessive maltreatment, poor salaries, and neglect faced by workers in the sector.
“We are dying voiceless,” Zango said.
“Despite our vital role in the economy, we are treated like slaves. Our salaries are meagre, and we face dangers such as toxic environments and fire hazards without adequate healthcare.”
Zango disclosed that PSWs earn between N10,000 and N20,000 per month, leading some to engage in sharp practices to survive.
“Tell me, why won’t some of them cut corners to survive the current harsh economy?” he asked.
Consequently, the PSWs are demanding free, fair, and credible elections to establish leadership at national, state, and local levels, as well as recognition and organisation under NUPENG to protect their members.
“We will not relent in our efforts to have a voice that can speak for all our members across the country,” Zango vowed.
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“We cannot continue to remain silent while our members are dying after putting all their productive years to work.
“We are calling on the leadership of the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) as our mother body to, as a matter of urgent necessity, organise free, fair, and credible elections to usher in our leadership at the national, state, and local government levels.
“This will protect our members in all the nooks and crannies of the country. The best time to do that was 20 years ago, another best time is now,” Zango added.
Our correspondent reports that the PSWs’ cry for recognition and better working conditions comes as the sector faces numerous challenges, including fuel scarcity and price hikes.