The federal government has appealed to the National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) to reconsider its planned steike.
It specifically called on the NUPENG leadership to give the government listening ear regarding how the issue it has with Dangote Group will be resolved for the interest of the nation at large.
The Minister of Labour and Employment, Muhammad Maigari Dingyadi, made this plea at the headquarters of the ministry while playing host to representatives of NUPENG at a meeting he summoned.
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Daily Trust reports that the petroleum workers under NUPENG’s umbrella scheduled strike over dispute with the Dangote Group.
The dispute borders on the company’s policy against unionisation by its employees, with NUPENG insisting that no oil worker will work with Dangote group without being unionised.
The union, while protesting alleged anti-workers and anti-union agenda of the Dangote Group, argued that the company’s policy was meant to enslave tbe oil workers it employed to render critical services in its refinery.
However, Dingyadi summoned an emergency meeting for 10:00am on Monday but the meeting did not start until 5:22pm.
Our Correspondent reports that while the NUPENG’s representatives were led by its President and General Secretary, Williams Akporeha, and Olawale Afolabi, respectively, the government representatives were led by the Minister.
Speaking before the meeting went into a close-door session, the minister said oil sector is not something government can play with if doesn’t want economic instability in the country.
He said, “We are here to try and reconciliate 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.
“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.
“We believe that the gentlemen who are here with today will assist us because I can see the level of commitment in them to see that we resolve these issues.
“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 so that it’s only when we are able to accommodate each others views that we can reach an agreement.
“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 and it is very important for the government of our country and our people.
“Please, I want to appeal to all of us to try as much as possible to have a listening ear and ready to contribute to deliberation on this matter,” he said.
