The Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas (NUPENG) Workers on Monday paralysed fuel loading activities across petroleum depots nationwide following its face-off with the Dangote Petroleum Refinery over alleged plans to ban unionism among tanker drivers.
NUPENG officials shut down depots in Lagos, Warri, Port Harcourt, Delta and other parts of the country, enforcing full compliance with their directive that no driver should lift fuel. At filling stations in Sokoto, union officials were sighted closing outlets and halting the movement of tankers along major routes.
The National President of NUPENG, Williams Akporeha, told reporters that there was “100 per cent compliance across the nation.” Some members of the union accused Dangote and MRS of plotting to take over their jobs through the recruitment of new drivers.
The strike disrupted operations at facilities including the Aradel refinery in Obele, Port Harcourt, and the Kwale Hydrocarbon facility in Delta State. Depots belonging to Aiteo, RainOil, Shell+, First Royal, MAO, Hensmor, One Terminals, Integrated Oil and Gas, among others in Lagos, and Matrix, Parker AY Shafa, and others in Warri were also locked down.
NUPENG, as reported by Afrocover had declared its intention last Friday to stop loading fuel this week, alleging that the Dangote refinery planned to bar drivers recruited for its 4,000 trucks from joining the union. Akporeha confirmed that despite Federal Government appeals to shelve the strike, “the industrial action would go ahead.”
Meanwhile, talks between representatives of Dangote Petroleum Refinery and NUPENG dragged on for several hours on Monday night at the Ministry of Labour, Employment and Productivity in Abuja.
The meeting, co-chaired by the Minister of Labour, Muhammed Dingyadi, and Minister of State, Nkeiru Onyejeocha, started around 5 pm after a delay and was still ongoing by 10:15 pm as disagreements stalled the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding.
A source at the meeting disclosed to the Punch that “resolutions of the Memorandum of Understanding were read for all parties to agree upon and sign, but officials of the Dangote Group raised objections, leading to further talks.
Read also: Fuel crisis looms as Dangote shuts out tanker drivers from CNG distribution
”l Present at the meeting were executives of NUPENG, officials of the Nigeria Labour Congress, the Trade Union Congress, representatives of the Dangote Group, MRS Petroleum, and the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority.
The strike has already raised fears of nationwide fuel scarcity.
In a show of solidarity, the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria warned that it might shut down operations at the refinery if the matter was not resolved. Its General Secretary, Lumumba Okugbawa, said, “Should the ongoing situation persist without a resolution, PENGASSAN will be left with no option but to join in shutting down the refinery operations as a last resort to protect our members’ rights and interests.”
He accused Dangote refinery management of resisting potential members of both PENGASSAN and NUPENG from joining the association since its inception, stressing that the continued denial of workers’ rights will no longer be tolerated.
Other downstream sector groups, including the Natural Oil and Gas Suppliers Association of Nigeria (NOGASA), the Petroleum Products Retail Outlet Owners Association of Nigeria (PETROAN), and the Nigerian Association of Road Transport Owners, also threatened to withdraw their services.
The President of NOGASA, Bennett Korie, directed suppliers to “withdraw their services from tomorrow” if dialogue failed, while PETROAN President, Billy Gillis-Harry, told members to suspend sales from midnight.
However, the Depot and Petroleum Products Marketers Association of Nigeria called for urgent resolution. Its Executive Secretary, Olufemi Adewole, warned that “the rising tension within the downstream oil and gas industry” could disrupt national petroleum supply if not addressed swiftly.
