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The Direct Trucking Company Drivers Association (DTCDA) has taken a hard stance against the looming strike threat issued by the National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG), warning that any disruption of petroleum supply would amount to “a disservice and flagrant abuse of union power.”
In a communiqué issued at the end of its National Executive Council (NEC) meeting in Abuja on Saturday, the association said while it would not join issues with NUPENG, it considered it necessary to set the records straight and protect the public from “manipulation and intimidation.”
According to the statement signed by its National President, Barrister Enoch Kanawa, the DTCDA emphasized that freedom of association is guaranteed as drivers in Nigeria have the constitutional right to freely choose which union or association best represents their interests, without coercion or intimidation.
“DTCDA is an association, not a union. Unlike NUPENG, the DTCDA is a broad-based drivers’ welfare body that caters to both wet and dry cargo drivers, including those working with leading companies such as Dangote and MRS.”
The group said its mandate covers welfare, health insurance, pension, and post-retirement benefits for members.
The association pledged transparent and accountable leadership while championing education, safety, and sanity on Nigerian highways.
While stressing that it would not interfere in the operations of any other group, DTCDA insisted that drivers must be allowed to exercise their freedom of choice.
“Any person licensed to drive a heavy-duty vehicle is mature enough to decide which organization best serves his or her interest,” the group said.
The DTCDA further urged the Federal Government to step in to prevent any organization from recruiting members through coercion, warning that such acts amount to constitutional breaches.
On deregulation, the association threw its full weight behind the Federal Government’s policy and President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, promising that its members are “poised to play an integral role in the distribution of goods and services across the country.”
The statement concluded with a stern rebuke of NUPENG’s strike threat:
“The DTCDA believes that any action against the smooth flow of petroleum products in the country is a disservice, a flagrant abuse of the power of unionism, and should be condemned by all Nigerians.”
