Cross River: NUPENG To Shut Down Operations Over Moves By Gov't To Recognise Illegal Association
Ndifereke BASSEY
Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) have raised the alarm over moves by government to recognise an illegal body, Association of Distributors and Transportation of Petroleum Products, threatening to down tools if their activities are not put in check by relevant authorities.
THE BEAGLE NEWS investigations revealed that members of the illegal association have been transversing some states seeking for government recognition, saying they are from federal government.
Investigations further revealed that, in Cross River State, there are rumours making the rounds that some top government officials are discreetly romancing with Association of Distributors and Transportation of Petroleum Products, fuelling speculation of imminent face off between state government and various associations in the oil and gas sector of the economy.
It was learnt that this development has led to no-love-lost between some government representatives and the oil associations promoting the national leadership of NUPENG to issue a statement warning against moves by governments or its agencies or representatives to recognise the illegal body, who they described as "fuel smugglers and scammers on the prowl."
Raising the alarm in a statement, the Union warned and advised the authorities and Nigerians to be very wary of these individuals who are desperately seeking ways and means to continue exploiting Nigerians and collecting rents in other manners since the removal subsidy from petroleum products and make smuggling unprofitable for them.
The statement signed by NUPENG’s President and General Secretary, Prince Williams Akporeha, and Afolabi Olawale, respectively, reads in part: “The attention of the leadership of our great Union has been drawn to some advertisements on news media of some unscrupulous and dangerous individuals claiming to be members of one amorphous association they claim is both Transporters and Marketers of the Oil and Gas at the same time. We wish to state that this association is nothing but assemblage of failed rent seekers in the subsidy regime and irredeemable smugglers of petroleum products roducts disguising as businessmen and women.
“The general public and government institutions are hereby warned and strongly advised to be very wary of these individuals who are desperately seeking ways and means to continue to exploit Nigerians and collecting rents in other manners since the current administration removed subsidy from petroleum products and make
smuggling unprofitable for them.
“The leadership of our great Union recognizes National Association of Road Transport Owners, NARTO, as the legitimate umbrella body of Transporters in the Nigeria Oil and Gas Industry and employers of Petroleum Tankers Drivers, PTD, of which our Union has Collective Bargaining Agreement, CBA, with on behalf of Petroleum Tankers Drivers.
“We also recognize Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria, IPMAN, Major Energy Marketers Association of Nigeria, MEMAN, as well as Depot and Petroleum Products Marketers Association of Nigeria, DAPPMAN, as legitimate marketers of Oil and Gas products. These are associations of marketers that are well known and respected in the downstream sector of the Nigeria oil and gas industry.
“There is also no ambiguity in the fact that the Nigeria Labour laws only recognize Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers, NUPENG, and Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria, PENGASSAN, as the umbrella bodies for oil and gas Workers in Nigeria.
“These are the two organizations that represent and protect the job interests of the Nigeria oil and gas workers including Petroleum lanker Drivers (PTD) as prescribed in the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
“We implore all well-meaning Nigerians and government officials whose names these usurpers and rent seekers are dropping to urgently disregard any invitation from them an
