Aleke Aleke in Abuja
The Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) yesterday described the allegation of illegal collections at petroleum depots as blackmail, deliberately aimed at tarnishing the union’s reputation and biasing public opinion against it.
The union, still reeling from a dispute with Dangote Refineries over unionisation, stated unequivocally that widespread misinformation and blackmail were being circulated on social media, misrepresenting the union’s role and intentions.
The Union in a statement said: “They are pained by our victory in the unionisation battle against them, and they are out for revenge by attacking our reputation and activities.
“Please don’t be discouraged by all the negative things being written. Social media is full of ignorant individuals with access to phones and data, posting baseless claims. The most recent lies include allegations that we are aiding smuggling, collecting N1.00 on every litre of product brought into Nigeria, and being part of a ‘cabal’ responsible for the failure of government-owned refineries.
“Some people are throwing around false figures about supposed collections at various depots. It is important to understand that employees in the downstream sector operate largely within the informal sector—they do not have structured jobs or formal employment. These employees include tanker drivers, depot workers, and staff employed by marketers stationed at various depots.”
The statement further explained, “There are also multiple associations at the depots, including the Truck Owners Association, the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN), and the Major Marketers Association of Nigeria (MOMAN). These trade unions all collect dues from their members across the value chain—but only PTD-NUPENG members are visible and vocal, hence the focus on us. Why?
“Nigerians often lack empathy for others. Because they are inconvenienced by the power and impact of our strikes—regardless of the reasons behind them—they want us silenced at all costs. ASUU, NASU, NMA, etc., can strike for years without much public outrage, so long as it doesn’t affect businesses, movement, or income.
“Employers also dislike dealing with us, so they throw everything at us. There are many trade unions and associations operating at the depots, each with their roles and responsibilities. These groups depend on our representatives to assist in collecting dues from members who are often unwilling to pay.
” We actually command significant influence and respect, which infuriates many. It must also be noted that PTD-NUPENG is a trade union whose members are employees of truck owners. These members pay union dues to NUPENG. The dues and levies collected are used for:
Quarterly safety training in every zone, conducted in partnership with the FRSC, Police, Fire Service, State Vehicle Inspection Officers, and other traffic enforcement agencies—these programmes are costly. Health insurance through Leadway Health Insurance for tanker drivers, who face health and safety risks while transporting flammable materials. A sick driver is an accident waiting to happen. Dedicated security funding to mobilise security agencies against hijackers, kidnappers, and criminals targeting trucks on highways—this is never done for free.
The statement added that the Association of Truck Owners also collects fees from its members (i.e., truck owners) whenever they load at the depots.
Marketers—including IPMAN members—have employees who belong to NUPENG, and both employees and marketers pay dues to their respective unions.
MOMAN members also have employees under NUPENG and pay similar dues.
All of these dues are collected at a central point at the depots by PTD-NUPENG, on behalf of all stakeholders. The actual payments are made by truck owners and marketers.
“In this struggle, major marketers, independent marketers, and truck owners are all interested parties. They, too, await liberation from the looming monopoly of Dangote, and while they cannot challenge it directly, they support NUPENG’s resistance.
“The issue of collections at the depots is simply a form of blackmail being used against us, and there’s no way to defend ourselves in the face of an already biased public opinion,” the statement concluded.
