By Awaal Gata
Even before oil workers began the ongoing strike action on Monday, fuel queues had started dotting Abuja fuel stations on Sunday; and the queues became long, with some stretching up to a kilometre on Monday when the strike action eventually begun.
However, while Blueprint drove around the city on Monday and yesterday, commuters lamented the development, saying that it was hitting them hard just in two days.
A commuter who gave his name as Amos Abu noted that if the strike action reaches one week, “there will be too many troubles in the country.”
The commuters complained that apart from the resultant hikes in transport fares, getting vehicles to their places of work was an ardent task.
It was gathered that the industrial action embarked upon the oil workers under the umbrella of Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) and Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG).
The workers reportedly embarked on the action to register their displeasure over the unfair practices, such as transfer and termination of appointment of national officers of the two unions.
Reports say the aggrieved workers insisted that the strike will affect all operations in the upstream, midstream and downstream sectors of the oil and gas industry, as their members will be withdrawn from all oil and gas installations.
Furthermore, the striking workers maintained that they will not suspend until there is a strong commitment from the government and affected managements/operators to resolve the issues.”
On Monday and yesterday long queues were observed at fuel stations along roads in Gwagwalada, Zuba, Nyanya and Kubwa axis of the nation’s capital, resulting to a less vehicular movement in and around the city.
Also, at various petrol outlets within the Abuja city centres, indicated the same scenario all over, with a lot of commuters seen stranded while waiting for few vehicles on the road, while some were forced to trek long distances to work.
It was further observed that the usual Abuja-Keffi expressway which is notorious with heavy vehicular traffic was free for movement on Monday morning, due to fewer vehicles plying the road.
Expectedly, the few commercial ones operating along the route have doubled their fares to various destinations in the city center.
However, a across section of commuters, appealed to the oil workers to call off the strike, because it is hitting harder on the masses than those they are targeting, especially with Christmas just a few days from now.
Narrating his ordeal, a commuter who gave his name simply as Nnamdi said he waited for several hours at a bus station in Zuba before he could get a vehicle heading to the city centre.
Nnamdi said: “It was hard boarding a bus fwrom Zuba to the city centre today. As you can see, am not that strong to struggle with the younger ones for vehicles.
“When I stood for hours and it was dawn to me that I have to apply force to get a bus to work, I then joined and luckily, someone helped to secure a seat for me, because I cannot stand.”
Another commuter (he refused to give his name) expressed his dismay over the failure of both the government and the leadership of the oil workers to resolve their lingering grievances, which had subjected the masses to a lot of hardship while moving around in search of their daily bread.
According to him, “The excuse for the strike did not start today, I believe that it had been discussed several times by both parties, in a bid to find lasting solution to the lingering problems, but still, there seems to be no end in sight.
“Also, the issue of delay in passage of PIB, which had been altered several times by successive administration, all in a bid to get it right, but still, the bill is still gathering dust at the National Assembly with little or no attention.
“In as much as I support their call for the quick passage of the bill as well as other sundry demands, I appeal to them to call off the strike, because embarking on strike this season will bite harder on common people than those they are targeting,”
Speaking to Blueprint, Musa Ariki, who was waiting for his turn to buy fuel at a Conoil filling station along the airport road, said he had been at the station for close to five hours and it was not yet his turn.
“This is wickedness from the camp of the oil workers under the aegis of NUPENG and PENGASSAN to poor people.
“Why should they start this strike at this critical Christmas season that Nigerians are awaiting the joyful arrival of the Santa.
“This will obviously cause a hike not only in the transport fare but to the prices of foods and beverages mostly used during the yuletide, thereby denying some people the opportunity to have fun and travel to meet their love ones. I hope that the government will answer them speedily,” he lamented.
Ariki also pleaded with the federal government and the oil workers to resolve their differences as soon as possible in order not to aggravate the suffering of Nigerian masses.