FG Begs NUPENG To Shelve Planned Strike Over Dangote Dispute

The Federal Government has appealed to the National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) to reconsider its planned strike over a labour dispute with the Dangote Group, warning that industrial action in the oil sector could destabilise the economy.

The Minister of Labour and Employment, Muhammad Maigari Dingyadi, made the plea on Monday while addressing NUPENG representatives at the ministry’s headquarters in Abuja.

NUPENG had scheduled a strike to protest the alleged anti-worker and anti-union policies of the Dangote Group, insisting that no oil worker should be employed by the company without being unionised.

The union accused Dangote of seeking to “enslave oil workers” by preventing them from exercising their right to join recognised trade unions, particularly those who render critical services in the refinery.

Dingyadi had summoned an emergency meeting for 10:00am on Monday, but the session did not commence until 5:22pm.

While NUPENG’s delegation was led by its President, Williams Akporeha, and General Secretary, Olawale Afolabi, the government team was headed by the Minister.

Speaking before the closed-door session began, Dingyadi stressed the importance of resolving the matter peacefully.

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“We are here to try and reconcile our labour unions in the oil industry and the employers in Dangote Group. This is not the first time we are having this kind of dispute,” the minister said.

“We believe that by the time we sit down with parties involved, we should be able to settle them, we should be able to resolve the issues within the limits of what is possible.

“What we are discussing today is very important to the peace and stability of the country and our economy. The oil industry is not a sector that we will play with.”

Dingyadi urged both sides to remain calm and open-minded.

“We want to appeal to all parties concerned to this meeting to please try to be peaceful, to please try to be as accommodating as possible.

“It’s only when we are able to accommodate each other’s views that we can reach an agreement. Please, I want to appeal to all of us to try as much as possible to have a listening ear and be ready to contribute to deliberations on this matter,” he added.

The meeting later moved behind closed doors as government sought to broker peace and avert the strike.