The Federal Government has appealed to the National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) to reconsider its proposed industrial action over a dispute with the Dangote Group.
Minister of Labour and Employment, Muhammad Maigari Dingyadi, made the plea while addressing NUPENG representatives at the ministry’s headquarters in Abuja. He emphasised the need for dialogue in the interest of national stability, noting the sensitive nature of the oil sector.
NUPENG had announced plans to down tools in protest against the Dangote Group’s reported policy opposing unionisation of its employees. The union insists that no worker in the oil and gas sector should be employed by the company without union membership.
While accusing the firm of pursuing an “anti-workers and anti-union agenda,” NUPENG alleged that the policy was designed to subjugate employees engaged in providing essential services at the refinery.
Dingyadi convened an emergency meeting for 10:00 a.m. on Monday to address the dispute, though proceedings did not begin until 5:22 p.m.
The NUPENG delegation was led by its President, Williams Akporeha, alongside General Secretary, Olawale Afolabi. The government’s team was headed by the Labour Minister.
Before the meeting went into a closed-door session, Dingyadi underscored the need for compromise and urged both sides to embrace peace and dialogue.
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 other’s 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 added.