N621bn NNPC road projects yet to take off – Tanker drivers

The Petroleum Tankers Drivers (PTD) branch of Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) is protesting the failure of the federal government to fix 21 critical federal roads worth N621 billion within the timeline NNPC Limited had agreed. In December 2021, NNPC handed over a N621bn cheque for the 21 road projects after […]

The Petroleum Tankers Drivers (PTD) branch of Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) is protesting the failure of the federal government to fix 21 critical federal roads worth N621 billion within the timeline NNPC Limited had agreed.

In December 2021, NNPC handed over a N621bn cheque for the 21 road projects after signing a pact with the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing and contractors that would build the roads.

But speaking yesterday, the National Chairman of PTD, Salmon Akanni Oladiti, said, “We are approaching the rainy season and we asked our people to go and check and the report is negative.”

He also lamented that the money for the road projects is allegedly being diverted.

“Unfortunately, and to our greatest shocks, we heard it from very reliable sources that some vultures in the garbs of being state governments, officials of Ministry of Works and Housing and politicians are already depleting these funds and misappropriating them on roads and projects not intended in the agreement as approved by the Federal Executive Council.

“The money meant for the road, people have started touching it, let them come and prove otherwise.

“This is an open day robbery, but we are assuring all and sundry that our Union will go to all lengths to expose these unscrupulous individuals. Every kobo of the approved fund must be accounted for and we must see and broadcast the pre and post rehabilitation of all the identified 21 federal roads to the whole nation. Tax payers’ money must be accounted for,” he stated.

Oladiti said after a PTD meeting in September 2021, there was a decision to go for strike but NNPC Ltd intervened in October.

“NNPC had intervened to finance the rehabilitation of identified 21 critical roads at an estimated sum of N621bn through the Road Infrastructure Tax Credit Scheme.”

When asked on what the union will do over the failure to fix the roads, Oladiti, simply said “Action speaks louder than words” adding that contractors were only given promissory notes which was not real cash to execute the projects.

The roads selected for rehabilitation are the critical routes used for petroleum products transportation which will ease the delays and other challenges faced by truck drivers in transporting products.

Our reporter reached out to the Group General Manager, Group Public Affairs Division, Garba Deen Muhammad, for an update on the road project but there was no response on that.