NUPENG Calls Off Strike Following Agreement With Govt, Oil Stakeholders
The Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) has suspended its strike action after a truce was reached between the Federal Government, organised labour, and key players in the oil industry.
The resolution was reached at a high-level meeting in Abuja on Sunday, which brought together senior government officials, representatives of Dangote Refinery, and leaders of major trade unions.
Among those in attendance were the Minister of Finance, Mr. Wale Edun; Minister of Labour and Employment, Mr. Mohammed Maigari Dingyadi; Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Mrs. Nkeiruka Onyejeocha; and a delegation from the Dangote Refinery led by Alhaji Sayyu Dantata.
Labour was represented by Mr. Akpouha Williams of NUPENG, Mr. Benson Upah of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), and Dr. N. A. Toto, mni+, of the Trade Union Congress (TUC).
Following hours of intense deliberation, all parties agreed to uphold existing labour laws, particularly the provision that workers cannot be compelled to join any union and must retain the freedom to either affiliate with or decline membership of any labour body
Other contentious issues were also resolved, leading to the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) by all stakeholders.
The agreement paved the way for NUPENG to immediately call off its strike, which had posed a threat to the nation’s petroleum supply and distribution network.
Government officials described the outcome as a significant step towards ensuring industrial harmony in the oil and gas sector. Labour leaders, on their part, reaffirmed their commitment to protecting workers’ rights within the framework of the law.
