NUPENG strike: Transport fares go up by 50 per cent in Lagos

Transport fare in Lagos metropolis was on Tuesday hiked by about 50 per cent, following the three-day warning strike by the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that NUPENG on Monday began a three-day warning strike over alleged unfair labour practices by some major oil companies in the country.
NAN correspondent, who went round Lagos metropolis, reports that commercial bus drivers have increased their fares by about 50 per cent.
NAN observed that many of the bus stops were crowded as a result of the increased fares.
Ike Moeme, a commuter, told NAN that buses have increased their fares as he paid N150 for a ride from Jibowu to Costain, instead of the usual N100.
Moeme added: “I also paid N200 from Iyana Ipaja to Jibowu this morning, instead of the normal N150.
“I appeal to the government to mediate in the issues of NUPENG before it advances to a national strike.”
Iya Adesanya, a trader, said that she paid N250 from Mile 12 to Oyingbo, instead of the previous N200.
Tunde Emmanuel, a civil servant, said that he paid N400 from Ikorodu to Yaba, as against the usual N200.
Emmanuel also called on the government to settle the contentious issues, noting that if the oil and gas workers did not resolve their problems, Nigerians would suffer.
He said that the warning strike would affect the economy and increase the financial burden of the people.
Meanwhile, as the warning strike entered its second day, long fuel queues were obstructing the free flow of traffic in some parts of Lagos.
A News Agency of Nigeria correspondent in Lagos observed that there was obstruction of traffic in areas like Falomo, Ikoyi; Victoria Island and Iponri as a result of long queues of motorists in fuel stations.
The situation was, however, normal in Surulere, Mushin, Ojota, Onipanu, Orile, Ojuelegba, Ikeja, Oshodi and Fadeyi.
NAN reports that few filling stations were, however, not selling the petroleum products.
Some motorists who spoke with NAN appealed to the Federal Government to immediately step in to address the situation before it became unbearable.
At Falomo in Ikoyi, only Oando and FO Filling Stations were selling out of the six filling stations in the area.
Wale Esan, a civil servant, said that it was a shame that the government allowed the issue to degenerate into the strike.
“Government should dialogue with relevant agencies that are concerned because the situation is getting out of hand gradually,” Esan said.
Esan said that he had been on queue for almost two hours and described the situation as a set-back to government’s transformation agenda in the oil and gas sector.
The situation was different at the Oando Filling Station, Ojuelegba, where there was no long queue of vehicles.
Seyi Awodele, a taxi driver, said that he was lucky to have filled his car having heard about the strike on Sunday evening.
Awodele, however, urged the government to immediately resolve the problem, saying that the situation might be worse on Wednesday.
The Chairman, South West Chapter of NUPENG, Alhaji Tokunbo Korodo, told NAN that the union had a meeting with the Minister of Labour, Emeka Wogu, till 1am on Tuesday.
Korodo said that the minister had set up a committee to look into the unfair treatment of Nigerian workers by some oil companies and some other issues.
He said that the committee included the permanent secretaries in both the Ministry of Petroleum Resources and the Ministry of Labour; NUPENG and NNPC officials.
Korodo, however, said that the three-day warning strike would still continue, adding that government should have averted it when the 14-day ultimatum was given.