THE Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) has suspended its nationwide strike following a truce brokered by the Federal Government and the Department of State Services (DSS).
News Point Nigeria reports that the strike, which was declared on Monday, had threatened to disrupt fuel supply across the country after NUPENG accused the Dangote Group of denying its employees the right to unionize.
According to a source, who spoke to News Point Nigeria on condition of anonymity, the decision to suspend the industrial action came after an emergency meeting convened by the DSS on Tuesday in Abuja.
The meeting was attended by the Minister of Labour and Employment, the Minister of Finance, senior officials of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), and representatives of the Dangote Group led by Seyu Dantata.
Although full details of the agreement reached have not been made public, sources confirmed that both sides made concessions that paved the way for the suspension of the strike.
NUPENG had accused the Dangote Group of frustrating its workers’ efforts to affiliate with the union, insisting that this violated labour rights. The union subsequently declared a nationwide strike, sparking fears of fuel scarcity and heightened public anxiety.
However, government officials moved swiftly to prevent an escalation, given the critical role of NUPENG workers in petroleum distribution nationwide.
With the suspension of the strike, fuel supply and distribution, which had already shown signs of strain in some cities, is expected to stabilize in the coming days.
More details shortly…
