Ahead of  today’s meeting of some petroleum marketers, under the aegis of Association of Distributors and Transporters of Petroleum Products, ADITOP, Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers, NUPENG, has cautioned other stakeholders in the oil industry not to accord  recognition to new petroleum marketers.

Messrs Williams Akporeha and Afolabi Olawale, President and General Secretary, respectively of NUPENG made the declaration in a statement in Abuja, yesterday.

ADITOP had fixed today for a gathering of its members in Abuja to discuss as part of its agenda, the challenges of truck owners and oil marketers in the downstream sector.

But NUPENG in its statement, warned the general public, particularly players in the oil sector, to be wary of the new group.

NUPENG maintained that only the Nigerian Association of Road Transport Owners, NARTO; Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria, IPMAN; Major Energy Marketers Association of Nigeria, MEMAN, and Depot and Petroleum Products Marketers Association of Nigeria, DAPPMAN, were legitimate associations known to the union.

It further maintained that only NUPENG and  Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria, PENGASSAN, were the two umbrella bodies for oil and gas workers in Nigeria known to law.

The statement read: ”The general public and government institutions are hereby warned and strongly advised to be very wary of these individuals who are desperately seeking ways and means to continue to exploit Nigerians and collecting rents in other manners since the current administration removed subsidy from petroleum products.

‘’The leadership of our great union recognizes National Association of Road Transport Owners, NARTO, as the legitimate umbrella body of Transporters in the Nigeria Oil and Gas Industry and Employers of Petroleum Tankers Drivers, PTD, of which our Union has Collective Bargaining Agreement with on behalf of Petroleum Tankers Drivers.”

“We also recognize Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria, IPMAN, Major Energy Marketers Association of Nigeria, MEMAN, as well as Depot and Petroleum Products Marketers Association of Nigeria, DAPPMAN, as legitimate marketers of oil and gas products.

 “These are associations of marketers that are well known and respected in the downstream sector of the Nigeria oil and gas industry.”

“There is also no ambiguity in the fact that the Nigeria Labour laws only recognise Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers, NUPENG, and Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria, PENGASSAN, as the umbrella bodies for oil and gas Workers in Nigeria. ‘’These are the two organizations that represent and protect the job interests of the Nigeria oil and gas workers including Petroleum Tanker Drivers, PTD, as prescribed in the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

‘’The union implored  all well-meaning Nigerians and government officials  to urgently disregard any invitation from the new association.”