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PTD Urged To Challenge NUPENG Over Exclusion, Lack Of Transparency & Accountability In Health Insurance Scheme
The convener of a pressure group, “Know Your Right”, Comrade Kehinde Adebeshin a.k.a “Baba Ibeji” has criticized the handling of the official renewal ceremony of health insurance scheme for Petroleum Tanker Drivers (PTD) with the management team of Leadway Health Insurance without involving the leadership of the drivers whose the initiative was primarily for.
Adebeshin, a prominent transporter and petroleum dealer in Oyo State described the actions of the parent body of PTD, Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) a violation of rights and unprecedented grab of tyrannical power which was brazenly displayed by the General Secretary, Afolabi Olawale and the President, Williams Akporeha.
Berating the perceived highhandedness and flagrant abuse of office by NUPENG leadership on Monday, March 10. 2025, the transporter said he was shocked not to have seen the former Chairman of PTD at the event, Otunba Salimon Oladiti who doubles as the Trustee of NUPENG.
He added that the absence of Augustine Egbon, Solomon Kilanko, and even the Chairman of Lagos Zone of PTD, Saheed Gbolahan Adigun was an indication that the leadership of NUPENG was neither upright or transparent with the details of the insurance scheme.
Adebeshin in a statement he personally signed on Wednesday, March 12, 2025 accused NUPENG of interfering with PTD right to independently run its legitimate duties, to assemble and hold meetings, work freely and to make its own decisions independently without any undue interference from any quarters.
He used the occasion to call on all PTD members across Nigeria to close ranks and come together as one body, and rise up to the occasion and investigate deeply what has transpired between NUPENG and Leadway Health Insurance delegation, led by Dr. Olatokunbo Alli, Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Gideon Anumba, Head of Operations, and Mr. Nathan Peregrine Akatakpo, Sales Executive which purportedly aimed at providing quality healthcare coverage for petroleum tanker drivers on the wheel across Nigeria.
Adebeshin maintained that PTD should not allow itself to be deceived or extorted by NUPENG, stressing that by allowing such infraction to pass without restraint will put PTD members into perpetual servitude under NUPENG.
Adebeshin’s statement reads in parts:
“The occasion that marked the official renewal ceremony of the health insurance scheme for Petroleum Tanker Drivers (PTD) on the wheel and the management team of Leadway Health Insurance at the NUPENG National Secretariat in Lagos on Monday, March 10, 2025 without the involvement of PTD national leadership was a clear violation of rights and unprecedented grab of tyrannical power which was brazenly displayed by the General Secretary, Afolabi Olawale and the President, Williams Akporeha.
The reintroduction or renewal of an existing health insurance scheme which was originally introduced by the PTD leadership but now being taken over by NUPENG General Secretary and the President without carrying along any PTD leaders and with no recourse to due process was a clear indication of malfeasance primarily designed for improper purposes and corruption.
“The health insurance scheme as presently constituted has been deliberately manipulated by NUPENG, making it so obnoxious for PTD members to key into, due to the regime of multiple taxes, levies and rates being introduced at various depots, refineries and other loading outlets.
“This dubious ploy will definitely deny drivers a new lease of life and access to quality and affordable health care in different parts of the country. Similarly, their automated identity cards which contain their biometrics that will help them to access this service has also been eroded. The same members who are the ones generating the funds at unit levels are also now the victims, this is pitiable and most unfortunate.
“This is a wake up call to all PTD members in Nigeria to come back as one, this is not about factions, it should be about fighting and demonizing the common enemies. The situation here has also created an opportunity to unanimously combat abuse of power, and this is the right time for members to investigate properly and make informed decisions on why their money would be spent without their consent, at the same time against their wishes. Sadly all these shenanigans are happening at the expense of tanker drivers’ health and well-being. According to elders, you cannot shave someone’s hair without their consent.
“It’s a huge surprise that PTD’s financial resources are now shrouded in secrecy, with altered signatories and a lack of transparency and accountability. It is also appalling to see that the General Secretary of the parent union will be among signatories to PTD’s bank accounts, especially the one for the health insurance scheme and others,” Adebeshin said.
Electricity supply in Lagos has been significantly disrupted following a major shutdown at the Egbin Power Station and a simultaneous fault on a key transmission route feeding the state, according to the Nigerian Independent System Operator.
In a statement issued on Thursday, the operator warned that the combined incidents could lead to prolonged power shortages across Lagos, Nigeria’s largest electricity consumption hub.
The disruption reportedly began late on April 28 when Egbin Power Station experienced a critical operational failure that forced an immediate halt in generation. Power output dropped sharply from about 641 megawatts to zero within a short period.
The system operator explained that the plant’s shutdown was triggered by a failure involving its central compressor unit, alongside a malfunction of the circulating water pump system, necessitating a full safety shutdown of all generating units.
The statement noted: “The Nigerian Independent System Operator wishes to inform the general public of a significant reduction in power generation currently affecting electricity supply across the country, particularly within the Lagos region.
“Egbin Power Station, which is the largest electricity-generating plant on the national grid and a major contributor to daily power supply in Nigeria, experienced a major operational disturbance.
“At approximately 8:21 p.m. on April 28, 2026, Egbin Power Station recorded a total loss of generation, dropping from about 641MW to zero output.
“This incident was caused by the failure of the plant’s central compressor, in addition to a malfunction of the circulating water pump system, which necessitated an immediate shutdown of all generating units to safeguard the facility.”
The agency also noted that the disruption has been compounded by an unrelated fault on the Osogbo–Ikeja West 330kV transmission line, a critical corridor responsible for evacuating electricity into Lagos.
According to the operator, the transmission failure has further limited the volume of power that can be delivered into the Lagos electricity network, worsening the supply shortfall.
“Power supply to the Lagos region is currently further restricted due to the forced outage of the Osogbo–Ikeja West 330kV transmission line, thereby limiting the evacuation of available generation into the Lagos load centre,” the statement added.
With both generation and transmission constraints in place, system operators have begun implementing load-shedding measures to maintain grid stability and avoid a wider system collapse.
Emergency interventions currently underway include redistribution of available power across distribution companies, with priority given to critical infrastructure such as hospitals, security installations and essential services. Operators are also working to optimise output from other generation plants to cushion the impact on consumers.
“Consequently, this loss of generation has created a significant supply shortfall, necessitating immediate load-shedding measures to maintain grid stability and prevent a wider system disturbance.
“System operators have since deployed contingency measures, including the reallocation of available load across distribution companies, with priority given to critical national infrastructure.
“In addition, efforts are ongoing to optimise generation from other available power plants to mitigate the impact of this development on electricity consumers.”
The operator expressed regret over the disruption, particularly its impact on residents of Lagos and surrounding areas, and assured that restoration efforts are ongoing in collaboration with relevant stakeholders.
“We acknowledge the inconvenience this situation has caused electricity consumers, especially within Lagos and surrounding areas, and we assure the public that all relevant stakeholders are working closely to resolve the situation as quickly as possible.”
The Egbin Power Station, located in Ikorodu, is the largest thermal power facility connected to Nigeria’s national grid, with an installed capacity of over 1,300 megawatts.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s high-level engagement with Plateau stakeholders in Abuja has begun to yield tangible gains, with fresh commitments on security, relief funding, and, most significantly, a historic political reconciliation among the state’s leadership.
At the heart of the breakthrough was the unprecedented convergence of all living former governors of Plateau State under one roof for the first time, an outcome Governor Caleb Mutfwang described as a major step toward lasting peace in the crisis-prone state.
The meeting, which stretched into the evening at the Presidential Villa, brought together a powerful delegation including former governors Simon Lalong, Jonah Jang, Joshua Dariye, and Fidelis Tapgun, alongside traditional rulers and key political figures.
Beyond the symbolism of unity, the Abuja trip delivered concrete outcomes, including President Tinubu’s approval of N2 billion relief support for victims of the March 29 attack in Angwan Rukuba, Jos North Local Government Area.
The President also took a firm stance on security, vowing to deploy the full weight of federal authority against individuals identified as sponsors or instigators of violence in the state.
“If you identify and you know the name of troublemakers… we will use the instrument of office to deal with them,” Tinubu told the delegation, while charging Plateau leaders to take ownership of the peace process.
A major institutional gain from the meeting was the endorsement of a new peace committee comprising former governors, effectively placing them at the centre of reconciliation efforts. The President directed the committee to review past reports, harmonise recommendations, and drive implementation of sustainable peace strategies.
In what could signal long-term structural reform, Tinubu also renewed his push for the establishment of state police, describing it as critical to addressing Plateau’s unique security challenges.
Governor Mutfwang, reflecting on the outcomes, said the Abuja engagement had helped depoliticise key issues and foster a renewed spirit of unity among Plateau leaders.
“The coming together of the former governors has never happened before. This is the first time it is happening, and I believe that is a step we can build upon,” he said, adding that the state was now better positioned to “rise above all divides of religion and ethnicity.”
Remarkably, the President also directed inclusive governance measures, urging the state to integrate non-indigenes more fully into its political and administrative structure as part of confidence-building efforts.
Traditional rulers at the meeting, including the Gbong Gwom Jos, Da Jacob Gyang Buba, pressed for enhanced security deployment, technological surveillance, and the urgent resettlement of displaced persons—issues the Federal Government signalled readiness to support.
For many observers, the Abuja meeting marked more than a routine consultation—it represented a strategic reset, combining political unity, financial intervention, and a clearer security roadmap, all anchored on a rare consensus among Plateau’s past and present leaders.
Confusion erupted in the early hours of Thursday after suspected herdsmen reportedly attacked an Army Estate in the Kurudu area of Abuja.
However, one of the assailant died in the attack.
The incident, which occurred around 12:15 a.m. on April 30, occurred at Kurudu Post Army Estate, Phase 5.
According to eyewitness accounts, between 30 and 40 armed men believed to be herdsmen stormed the estate, causing fear among residents.
However, occupants of the estate quickly raised an alarm, prompting an immediate response from soldiers stationed at the estate’s gate.
During the confrontation, one of the suspected attackers was shot dead, while others fled the scene.
It remains unclear whether the attackers intended to carry out a robbery or a kidnapping operation, as authorities are yet to release an official statement on the incident.
Residents have been urged to remain vigilant as investigations continue.
Blackout looms in Lagos as Egbin power station shuts down
Plateau Leaders Unite In Abuja As Tinubu Approves N2bn Relief
Sad: One dead as suspected herdsmen attack Army Estate in Kurudu, Abuja
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