The Petroleum Tanker Drivers Union, Rivers and Bayelsa origin in the Port Harcourt Depot Ilesa, Eleme has called on the governments of Rivers and Bayelsa States to come to their aid and rescue them from the hands of the non-indigenes who are marginalizing them in the depot. And also siphoning the economic resources of the two states.
Speaking at a press conference organized by the Union at Kpor, William I. Asuru stated that when similar marginalization occurred in Osisoma in Abia State, the Governor came in and dissolved the executives and appointed indigenous leaders and wondered why it has not happened in Port Harcourt.
Asuru who is the financial secretary of the union frowned at the way strangers whom according to him are mostly Igbos, denies indigenes access to membership card, issuing out same to their kinsmen in large quantities making them to control the population in the depot.
He lamented how those, who protested the marginaliation sometime ago died mysteriously, others tortured and incarcerated wrongly.
He alleged that protest letters have been written, but to no avail, said till date these gangs continue in power contrary to what obtains in other branches.
Comrade John B. Gberesun, the chairman Caretaker Committee, and elder who witnessed the formation of NUPENG in Nigeria which PTD is a branch recalled that this problem started since 1982 when they were forming PTD. He explained that on the fateful day of the election, the Igbos trooped in and suddenly raised the hands of one Comr. Basil Okeke and Comr. Timothy Ogbu as leaders of the branch.
William observed that most of the time, these people cause artificial scarcity of the petroleum products in these two states while the products are made available in their own states, for they divert products meant for these states to their own states since there is no one to checkmate them.
He blamed the violation of traffic laws and blocking of major roads, incessant strikes by tanker drivers on lack of indigenous participation in the leadership of the union. ###
Mene Gbarabe
