The Lagos State Government on Tuesday said it
would not succumb to the attempt by the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural
Gas Workers (NUPENG) to blackmail it into paying a questionable N224 million
debt.
While reacting to a purported protest carried out
by members of the association, the State Government said though it was not
against peaceful protest by aggrieved citizens but it would not be stampeded
into taking any action without strictly following due process and rule of law.
NUPENG had alleged that the N224 million was for
payment for the supply of diesel and kerosene to the State Government for
execution of direct labour projects in Ojodu between October 2014 and May 2015.
South-West Chairman of NUPENG, Alhaji Tokunbo
Korodo had threatened that members of the association would embark on the
protest with over 1, 000 tankers, and that Lagosians would be subjected to
experience scarcity of fuel if the request was not acceded to by government.
But in statement signed on Tuesday by the State's
Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr. Steve Ayorinde, the government
recalled that the said transaction took place between an independent marketer
and the Lagos State Public Works Corporation (LSPWC) before this present
government assumed office.
Ayorinde said the company wrote the government
about the transaction, and government replied that it wanted to investigate the
claim.
According to Ayorinde, "The investigation
proved that the claim by the company was fraudulent but while investigation was
still ongoing, the company went to NUPENG, and the association agreed to
demonstrate on behalf of the company.
"Our position is that the Lagos State
Government cannot be stampeded or blackmailed into making payments that have
not been verified for which investigation is still ongoing.
"While government is not against peaceful
protest by aggrieved citizens, we would like to urge Lagosians to go about
their businesses peacefully.
"No amount of blackmail will stop the
government from strictly following due process and rule of law," Ayorinde
said.
The government also urged the national leadership
of NUPENG to prevail on its Lagos State Chapter to stop using the union to
pursue personal gains.
Besides, Ayorinde said the Lagos State Government
never entered into any transaction with NUPENG on the issue but a private
company, and as such it was strange that the union was now being used to
blackmail government.
FOR MORE STORIES VISIT
CKN NEWS SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS:
Twitter: @CKNNigeria
Facebook: CKNNigeria
CKN NEWS Hotline:
08080054001
Whatsapp: 08099677755
BBM : 2BE329DF
Website: www.cknnigeria.com
Tags
Business