NUPENG Suspends Two-Day Strike After Agreement With Dangote Refinery.
The Nigerian Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) has suspended its two-day strike after reaching an agreement with the Dangote Group on Tuesday.
NUPENG’s National President, Williams Akporeha, confirmed the development, disclosing that the Dangote refinery team, led by Sayyu Dantata, consented to unionise its drivers.
He explained that the meeting was convened by the Department of State Services (DSS).
“We have suspended the strike. The Dangote refinery has agreed to unionise its drivers. We signed an agreement,” Akporeha told our correspondent over the phone.
The suspension came after petroleum tanker drivers had on Monday carried out their threat to halt fuel loading, escalating tensions between them and the Dangote refinery over the unionisation issue. This was in spite of appeals from the Federal Government urging them to reconsider.
The industrial action led to fuel scarcity in some parts of the country, as several filling stations were shut. The Aradel refinery in Obele, Port Harcourt, as well as the Kwale Hydrocarbon facility in Delta State, were also closed down.
Last Friday, NUPENG had announced plans to suspend fuel loading nationwide, accusing the Dangote refinery of attempting to prevent its 4,000 truck drivers from joining the union.
Although the Federal Government reached out to NUPENG over the weekend to avert the strike, Akporeha maintained at the time that the action would proceed as planned.
By Monday morning, full compliance was observed as tanker drivers stayed away from lifting fuel. PUNCH Online gathered that petroleum depots across the country were at a standstill, with NUPENG officials monitoring operations to enforce compliance.
In Lagos, Warri, and other major depots nationwide, tanker drivers parked their trucks and awaited further directives on the union’s next steps.
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