The leadership of the Nigeria Liquefied and Compressed Gases Association (NLCGA) has lamented the “high-handedness” of the National Union of Petroleum and National Gas -Petroleum Tanker Drivers (NUPENG- LPG) against Dangote Refinery.
The association faulted the disruptive activities of the refinery by NUPENG-PTD, asserting that its action was detrimental to the nation’s economic progress, especially in the downstream sector.
In a statement issued in Lagos, the executive secretary/CEO of NLCGA, Lanrewaju Baiyewu, alleged that NUPENG extorts as much as ₦72,000 (across LPG terminals nationwide which was less than ₦30,000 two years ago) from LPG truck drivers before allowing them to load LPG, an unaccounted sum that contributes nothing to the sector’s growth or the overall nation’s development.
However, the leadership of NUPENG denied the alleged extortion and described it as “mere blackmail meant to keep us off the scene.”
The reaction came from NUPENG’s general secretary, Comrade Afolabi Olawale.
The association said the “estimates suggest that the annual sums extorted exceed ₦3 billion for LPG operations alone, highlighting the significant financial burden imposed on industry stakeholders.
According to Baiyewu, in the last 24 months, illegal fees extorted by NUPENG-PTD for LPG loading have increased by over 20 per cent while the government battles to bring down the cost of LPG.
The group of gas companies said the current dispute between NUPENG and Dangote Refinery centres around unionisation rights, with the union accusing the refinery of anti-union practices and Dangote Refinery asserting its commitment to constitutionally protected labour rights.
Baiyewu said, “Despite a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between the two parties, NUPENG has continued to disrupt operations at the refinery, potentially leading to nationwide fuel shortages and economic instability.”
He said NLCGA stands in solidarity with Dangote Refinery in resisting NUPENG- PTD’s actions that are detrimental to the industry’s growth and urged the union to prioritise dialogue and respect existing agreements.
Baiyewu said, “NUPENG’s actions are detrimental to Nigeria’s economic progress and it’s imperative that the government steps in to rein in these illegal practices carried out under the guise of unionism. The government must intervene to protect the interests of Nigerian workers and the broader economy, ensuring that union activities are conducted within the bounds of the law and without harming the nation’s economic stability.”
In his comments, Olawale (NUPENG) told LEADERSHIP that, “There is a lot of blackmail going on social media against us as well as distortions of facts and misinformation.”
