Dare Babalola
Williams Akporeha, the National President of the Nigerian Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) has confirmed the suspension of the union’s strike.
The union suspended its two-day strike following a meeting with the Dangote Group on Tuesday, Akporeha told Punch.
Akporeha said Dangote refinery team led by Sayyu Dantata, agreed to unionise its drivers in a meeting summoned by the Department of State Services.
“We have suspended the strike. The Dangote refinery has agreed to unionise its drivers. We signed an agreement,” Akporeha told Punch in a telephone conversation.
Recall that petroleum tanker drivers on Monday made good their threat to shun fuel loading due to the crisis between them and the Dangote refinery as a result of the unionisation of tanker drivers.
This was despite an appeal by the Federal Government that they shelve the plan.
The action had been described by NUPENG President, Williams Akporeha, as a stand against what he termed “anti-worker and anti-union practices” and an attempt by the Dangote Group to “enslave” workers.
However, the resolution brings to an end a tense standoff and averts a potential major economic crisis, as the strike had been supported by other major labor bodies, including the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN).
