Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) has raised alarm over certain persons impersonating Petroleum Tanker Drivers with the name ‘PTD-Elders’.
Williams Akporeha and Afolabi Olawale, the National President and the General Secretary, made this known in a statement on Sunday.
The leadership of NUPENG maintained that such a group was unknown to the Constitution and an agent of capitalists poised to destroy the union.
The statement warned members of the public and the media to be wary of the group, which it described as fraudulent, illegitimate, and acting with criminal intent.
The leadership of NUPENG further stressed that the only National Chairman of the PTD-NUPENG accorded recognition by its constitution is the one under the leadership of Augustine Egbon.
NUPENG called for the arrest of the group impersonating PTD.
“The Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) issues this stern warning to all stakeholders, security agencies, the media, and the general public regarding the criminal and fraudulent activities of some faceless groups and individuals who are impersonating leaders and elders of the Petroleum Tanker Drivers (PTD) branch of NUPENG.
“It has come to our attention that these unscrupulous elements are operating under the nonexistent and illegitimate banner of ‘PTD Elders’ or ‘PTD Leaders’ to deceive, manipulate, mislead and create confusion within the oil and gas sector and the wider public.
“We wish to state clearly here that these individuals are paid agents of unconscionable capitalists with filthy wealth accumulated over the labour and sweat of workers who have been denied the right of freedom of association/unionism.
“The paid agents have engaged in failed attempts to blackmail, misinform and manipulate the public for the sake of destabilising NUPENG and the Petroleum Tanker Drivers Branch of NUPENG.
“The ONLY recognised and constitutionally elected Executive of the Petroleum Tanker Drivers (PTD) Branch of NUPENG is the leadership led by Comrade Augustine Egbon as its National Chairman.
“There is no known or recognised group within the PTD-NUPENG known as ‘PTD Elders’ or ‘PTD Leaders’.
“To Security Agencies: NUPENG calls on the Nigeria Police Force, the Department of State Services (DSS), and all other relevant security agencies to treat these impersonators as the criminals they are. We demand the immediate identification, arrest, and prosecution of anyone involved in this fraudulent impersonation to face the full wrath of the law,” NUPENG stated.
This comes amid the cold war between NUPENG and the management of Dangote Refinery.
Recall that the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria declared a nationwide strike against Dangote Refinery for sacking over 800 workers for voluntarily joining the union.
PENGASSAN demanded reversal of the Dangote Refinery’s decision directing its members to cut gas and crude supplies to the refinery.
Dangote Refinery in a statement described the PENGASSAN’s directive as economic sabotage.
‘PTD-Elders’ are impostors, paid agents – NUPENG calls for arrest