The Federal Government has appealed to the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) to suspend its planned nationwide strike over an industrial dispute with the Dangote Group.
Minister of Labour and Productivity, Muhammad Dingyadi, yesterday urged the union to give dialogue a chance, stressing that government intervention was already underway. He also called on the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) to step back from its red alert to affiliates in solidarity with NUPENG.
According to Dingyadi, “the ministry has waded into the matter, and there is no need to paralyse the petroleum sector, which is too critical to Nigeria’s economy. We appeal to all parties to maintain peace as efforts are ongoing to resolve the dispute amicably.”
NUPENG Holds Key Meeting
Despite the minister’s appeal, NUPENG President, Williams Akporeha, confirmed that the union would meet in Abuja at 3:00 p.m. today to decide whether or not to suspend the planned action.
The NLC has openly backed NUPENG, accusing the Dangote Group of “paying one of the lowest wages in the oil and gas sector” and “treating its staff below acceptable standards.” The congress argued that the company’s approach to labour relations was exploitative and urged the government to “immediately call Aliko Dangote and Sayyu Dantata to order to comply with Nigerian labour laws and international conventions.”
The NLC further demanded the full unionisation of Dangote Refinery and all other subsidiaries within the group, warning that its nationwide structure was already mobilised to resist what it described as an “anti-worker agenda.”
PTD Rejects Strike Notice
In a sharp contrast, the Petroleum Tanker Drivers (PTD), a branch of NUPENG, rejected the strike directive, calling it “insensitive.”
In a joint statement, PTD Warri zone Chairperson, Blessing Dafinone, and Port Harcourt zone Chairperson, Joseph Dagogo-Jack, urged members to disregard the notice. The statement read: “This is a clarion call to all Petroleum Tanker Drivers across Nigeria to please ignore the strike notice issued by NUPENG leadership.”
The group criticised NUPENG for not pursuing alternative dispute resolution before declaring a strike, stressing that “unions are expected to be socially responsible and not self-centred, which is capable of ruining the socio-economic accomplishments of the country.” PTD also maintained that joining a union “is voluntary anywhere in the world.”
IPMAN in Disarray
The Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) has also been split over the crisis. While its Western Zone directed members to commence a shutdown in solidarity with NUPENG, the national leadership quickly distanced itself from the order.
Western Zone leaders Joseph Akanni and Adeleke Adeoye argued that Dangote’s policy contravened provisions of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA). However, the National Ex-Officio, Douglas Iyike, speaking for IPMAN’s National Executive Council, countered the directive, stating that members should disregard it. He maintained that Dangote’s proposed policy would relieve drivers of multiple levies imposed by tanker operators.
