IPMAN strike leaves passengers stranded in Imo
Written by darling on August 25, 2021
An unannounced industrial action by the officials of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) in Imo State has left hundreds of passengers stranded in various part of the State.
Passengers around Hospital Junction, Orji Okigwe road, Amakohia /Akwakuma road and Aba Owerri road in Owerri North council area on Thursday morning, were the worst hit as many of them were stranded, with little vehicle to convey them to their various destinations.
Some drivers reportedly took advantage of the situation to increase transportation fees from N100 to N150.
The General Secretary of NUPENG, Comrade Olawale Afolabi while reacting on the development told DAILY POST that the strike was a sympathy action in support of IPMAN.
He said “our members were on strike because of the refusal of Imo state government to obey a court judgment on payment of compensation to a member whose filling station at Orlu was demolished 7years ago by Imo State Government.”
The General Secretary said the Imo State Government refusal to act after 21days notice by petroleum marketers in the State.
He said, “They were well notified. We also copied police and other relevant stakeholders and nothing was done.
“Imo government should pay our member the judgment fee of N100,000,000 so that he can as well pay some of his workers wallowing in abject poverty as a result of government decision.”
Imo state government on their part described the strike by petroleum marketers in Imo state as prejudicial to the extant case.
In a release signed by Hon Declan Emelumba, Commissioner for Information and Strategy Government on Tuesday advised those planning the strike to respect the law in the interest of peace and economic well being of the people.
He said, “the Government has reasons to believe that there is more to the planned Strike than meets the eye. First the judgment itself was hidden from the current administration and no effort was made to dialogue with the government by the aggrieved member.
“In spite of this, when the government found out about the judgment, it responded appropriately as a law abiding government by proceeding on appeal.”
