By EMMANUELLA ANOKAM

The Association of Distributors and Transporters of Petroleum Products (ADITOP) has dissociated itself from the intended strike by the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) and its cohorts.

The National President of ADITOP, Alhaji Lawan Dan-Zaki, said this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday in Abuja.

NAN reports that NUPENG had announced that its members would commence a nationwide strike from Monday, and warned of an imminent nationwide fuel scarcity.

The strike Is in protest against what it described as anti-labour practices linked to the deployment of newly imported Compressed Natural Gas (CNG)-powered trucks by the Dangote Refinery, for direct distribution of petroleum products.

Dangote’s programme on direct distribution of petroleum products to end users is aimed at eliminating logistics costs, enhancing energy efficiency, promoting sustainability and supporting Nigeria’s economic development.

Dan-Zaki, while stating that the purported strike was uncalled for, added that ADITOP was in support of Dangote’s new petroleum products distribution scheme.

He said tha’ Dangote’s transformational efforts would not only sanitise the industry, but would further stabilise both supply and distribution, while providing jobs and new skills to millions of unemployed Nigerians.

“We, members of ADITOP, hereby inform the General Public and the Federal Government that we dissociate ourselves from any intended strike or disruption by NUPENG and its cohorts.

“We intend to continue moving petroleum products across the country without fear of molestation.

ADITOP is in support of any petroleum products distribution scheme aimed at distributing products to the end users seamlessly and promoting economic development,’’ he said. (NAN)