The Association of Telecommunications Companies of Nigeria (ATCON) has called for the immediate intervention of the Governors of Lagos and Ogun State following threats posed to telecoms services by striking petroleum tanker drivers.
Mr. Tony Emoekpere, President of Association of Telecommunications Companies of Nigeria (ATCON), says today in a statement made available to Technology Times that the Governors of Lagos and Ogun States should wade in to avert a looming threat posed to the delivery of telecoms services by a strike action initiated by the National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) Petroleum Tanker Drivers (PTD).
According to the ATCON President, “we have been informed that the NUPENG PTD has embarked on a strike action, effective this morning, in protest of the persistent harassment of tanker and petroleum product drivers by police officers in Lagos State. Consequently, all truck loading operations and movements have been suspended indefinitely, pending further notice.”
ATCON: Strike is “threatening service disruptions” in telecoms sector
As of January, Nigeria’s telecoms industry accounted for 169,318,076 active phone lines used across the nation’s vibrant connected million comprising mainly mobile phone subscribers depending on always-on voice, data and video services.
According to the ATCON President, “we have been informed that the NUPENG PTD has embarked on a strike action, effective this morning, in protest of the persistent harassment of tanker and petroleum product drivers by police officers in Lagos State. Consequently, all truck loading operations and movements have been suspended indefinitely, pending further notice.”
Mr. Tony Emoekpere, President of Association of Telecommunications Companies of Nigeria (ATCON)
The strike, which commenced this morning as a protest against ongoing harassment faced by tanker and petroleum product drivers from police officers in Lagos State, the ATCON President says, has led to a complete suspension of all truck loading operations and movements related to petroleum products, which has raised significant alarm among telecoms service providers.
ATCON, which raised alarm that the disruption is critically affecting diesel supply to telecoms base stations in both Lagos and Ogun States, says that many telecoms sites are running dangerously low on diesel “threatening service disruptions.”
The ATCON President expresses deep concern over the situation, emphasising the importance of diesel supply for maintaining uninterrupted telecoms services.
The ongoing strike is severely disrupting the diesel supply to the base stations of ATCON members in Lagos and Ogun States according to Emoekpere. “This threatens to compromise service delivery for millions of users who rely on these networks.”
NUPENG’s decision to embark on the strike follows a series of complaints regarding the treatment of tanker drivers by law enforcement agencies.
According to ATCON, the union has cited persistent harassment as a key factor leading to their action. This situation has escalated tensions between the union and the Police, prompting NUPENG to take a stand for the rights and safety of its members.
In light of the disruptions caused by the strike, ATCON is urging the governors of Lagos and Ogun States to step in immediately. The association is requesting that state authorities facilitate access to diesel from depots to ensure that telecommunications services remain operational.
Emoekpere emphasized that without government intervention, many telecom sites could face severe operational challenges, leading to widespread service outages that would impact both businesses and consumers.
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