HURMA Led Protest of Lagos Tanker Drivers: NUPENG Assures Prompt Intervention – Rights Monitors
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The National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) has assured aggrieved members of Lagos Petroleum Tankers Drivers (PTD) of prompt intervention to ensure there is peace and fairness in the affairs of the association.
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This assurance was given at the NUPENG Lagos zonal office by Comrade Mrs. Aluchi Amurukwu, NUPENG’s Principal Organising Secretary, while addressing the aggrevied members
Members of Ejigbo Tankers Drivers Association stormed NUPENG Lagos Zonal head office in a peaceful protest on Wednesday 6th of April, 2022 to demand for fairness and justice in the affairs of the group and as well call the attention of NUPENG as the parent body to what they called seclusion and injustice in a petition submitted through office of the Human Rights Monitoring Agenda (HURMA Global Resource Initiative).
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The aggrieved members led by the Executive Director of Human Rights Monitoring Agenda (HURMA), Comrade Buna Olaitan Isiak drew NUPENG’s attention to the alleged acts of lawlessness and Victimisation by Comrade Morufu Akanni Eleja’s led union, which they said is capable of constituting threats to peace.
The aggrieved members in their petition captioned, “Petition in Respect of Alleged Lawlessness and Victimization by Comrade Marufu Akanni Eleja, Chairman, Petroleum Tanker Drivers (PTD) Ejigbo Branch, Lagos.”
The petition reads in parts; “Human Rights Monitoring Agenda (HURMA), on behalf of concerned bona-fide members of Petroleum Tanker Drivers (PTO), Ejigbo branch in Lagos wishes to draw the attention of National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) to the alleged lawlessness and victimisation by Comrade Marufu Akanni Eleja, the branch Chairman of our union.
“It is pertinent to draw the attention of the police to the prevailing situation in Ejigbo branch of PTD as it is inmmical to the spirit and letter of trade union and capable of constituting threats to pesce.
“HURMA Is compelled to forward this petition as the last resort; having exhausted immidiate internal mechanism for seeking redress to no avail. HURMA’’s findings indicate that the affairs of Ejigbo branch of PTD under the leadership of Comrade Marufu Akanni Eleja has been subjected to misrule, mismanagement following the emergence of Comrade Marufu Akanni Eleja as chairman on March 14, 2018.
“Comrade Marufu Akanni Eleja has, since assumption of office, deployed divide and rule tactics as means of alienating members and, by so doing, engaged in violation of rights of members of Ejigbo branch of PTD with impunity.
HURMA is convinced that the conduct of Comrade Marufu Akanni is a glaring violation of the Constitution of the Union and in defiance of the Convention of international Labour Organizat an (ILO). The conduct of Comrade Marufu Akanni Eleya as manifest mth penchant for witch-hunt and brigandage negates standard practice of managing the aftairs of the uruon. Notable amongst members of Ejigbo branch of PTD targeted for persecution and possidle harm by Comrade Marufu Akanni Eleja are: Comrade Adebayo Ajani, Comrade Jide Okunnu, Comrade Hadi Oseni, Comrade Saheed Alagbeleye and Comrade Lukman Eluku.
“HURMA’s findings show that Comrade Marufu Akanni Eleja has frustrated legitimate process of effecting change in the leadership of the union which ought to have taken effect by March 14, 2022 as required by the Constitution of the union. Comrade Marufu Akanni Eleja has thus deliberately refused to allow the process leading to the conduct of peaceful election following expiration of his tenure as stipulated by the Constitution of PTD and in line with the standard practice of affiliated unions of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC).”
Receiving the petition on behalf of the Union’s national body, Aluchi Amurukwu, NUPENG’s Principal Organicing Secretary, Lagos Office, while commending the aggrevied members for peaceful steps taken, said all their demands shall be look into at channelled same to the national body for immediate resolution.
She said: “this is a very peaceful protest,this is the only way you can say your agitations. You stated that all your efforts to solve a matter in you branch is not working.
“I will pass your message to our leaders . There is no need for quarrel and there is no need for something that will put the Union in a limelight that is not good either within or outside.”
