The Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG), and Petroleum Tanker Drivers Branch (PTD) have jointly dismissed reports of threats to embark on a nationwide strike.
NUPENG General Secretary, Olawale Afolabi, in a statement on Monday in Abuja, said there was no plan whatsoever by the petroleum tanker drivers to protest over leadership tussle.
He also said there was no division in the union as being speculated by some individuals and their sponsors, adding that the report was false and unfounded and should be disregarded.
The general secretary said the motive of those behind the speculation was to create panic in the public space and cause artificial scarcity of petroleum products.
Afolabi tasked security agencies to fish out those behind the reports which he said was capable of creating social upheaval and security concerns.
He explained that the statement was to avert any form of panic and to ask members of the public to ignore the false and misleading report.
The secretary general assured that all petroleum tanker drivers were fully committed to national services for effective and efficient distribution of petroleum products across the country.
“We earnestly call on security agencies to urgently fish out the writer of this very misleading and panic creating news items.
“Make them face the full wrath of the law if they cannot prove the source and authority of the fake news which is very capable of creating social upheaval,” Afolabi said.
The PTD branch of NUPENG National Chairman, Augustine Egbon, said the report was being spread to create panic in the supply chain of petroleum products distribution in the country.
The chairman maintained that there was no division within the union’s rank and therefore, no need for any form of protests.
“The PTD-NUPENG wishes to alert the general public of the antics of some desperate and mischievous individuals to cause unfounded and dangerous panic in the supply chain of petroleum products distribution in the country.
“This they are doing through spreading of fake and false news items, petroleum tanker drivers are not embarking on any form of protest.
“We are determined to continue our services to the nation and whole heartedly support the efforts of the government of President Bola Tinubu to put our economy on the right track for the good of all,” he said.
The chairman added that the unity of the union’s workers could never be defeated.
Egbon implored the general public to ignore every mischief maker and called on security agencies to fully investigate the panic-creating news reports.
This, he said, was especially because citizens were already going through enough tough times and situations.
