The Federal Government, on Monday, entered into crucial negotiations with the leadership of the National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) including the management of Dangote Refinery, in a major push to resolve the union’s ongoing strike that has disrupted petroleum distribution across the country.
The meeting, convened at the Ministry of Labour and Employment headquarters in Abuja, was at the instance of the Minister of Labour and Employment, Muhammad Maigari Dingyadi.
Although the talks were scheduled for 10am on Monday, the NUPENG delegation arrived at about 5:05pm, prompting a late start of the crucial meeting.
Also in attendance were officials of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), representatives of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), and executives from MRS Holdings Limited and the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC).
Declaring the meeting open, Minister Dingyadi stressed the government’s determination to broker peace between the union and industry operators. He described the oil and gas sector as central to Nigeria’s economic stability, warning that prolonged disputes would have far-reaching consequences for the nation.
“Ladies and gentlemen who are here, I want to use the opportunity to warmly welcome you all to this meeting. Thank you for creating time to be with us at this very late hour,” Dingyadi said.
“You are aware that the purpose of this meeting is to consolidate and see how we can negotiate a peaceful settlement on the dispute that has arisen between our labour unions and the oil industry. This is not the first time we are having this kind of dispute, and we believe that by the time we sit down with the parties involved, we should be able to resolve the issues within the limits of what is possible.”
The minister appealed to both labour and Dangote Refiner to embrace compromise, noting that “it is only when we accommodate each other’s views that we can reach an agreement.”
“The oil industry is not a sector we can toy with. It is very important for the economy of our country and for our people. I want to appeal to all of us to approach this matter with listening ears and readiness to contribute to its resolution,” he added.
The meeting later went into a closed-door session, with the minister assuring journalists that the outcome would be made public once discussions were concluded.
