The Independent Oil Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) on Saturday countered N200,000 extortion allegation made against petroleum tanker drivers.
This was even as the Association urged the Federal Government (FG) to grant it license for the importation of petroleum products.
IPMAN in a statement signed by its National Secretary, Chief John Kekeocha described the allegation as false.
In its explanations, the Association said although, it was aware of the statutory monies given to drivers as dispatches, where loading expenses are done, this is mutual and,”has not raised eyebrows in our relationship with the PTD/NUPENG”.
“We are pained with the false allegations and therefore chose to come out to debunk it comprehensively.
” It will be injudicious to mislead the public with your unguided and baseless allegations and we keep quiet over it. But be you of note that he who goes to equity must go with clean hands,” the statement partly read.
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A factional arm of the association, had on Wednesday, accused the Petroleum Tanker Drivers (PTD) of illegal levy imposed on their members.
It alleged that the PTD had allegedly exhibited an act of sabotage on PMS distribution by levying IPMAN members N23,000 for each truck loaded at the depot.
But in its reactions, the national executive committee of the (lPMAN) led by Alhaji Debo Ahmed said the allegation, “does not hold water as no such money is paid as alleged.”
In view of this, IPMAN urged its members to jettison any call for a strike action stressing that the leadership has always frowned at sharp practices and illegalities.
“This is why over time the issue of petroleum products diversion is but a thing of the past. This is not to say that there are not still some bad eggs and if you engage in it and you paid the cost doesn’t mean you have to smear the image of the union in bad light.
“Marketers are therefore implored to go about their normal businesses and shun this type of distraction at this time which could be a fabrication of some individuals to put spanners in the smooth running the government of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.”
Also, it called on security agencies to arrest and prosecute anyone who wants to distrupt the distribution chain of petroleum products.
