The leadership of the National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) is yet to honour the invitation extended to it by the Federal Government over the planned strike by oil workers.
The meeting, which was summoned by the Minister of Labour and Employment, Muhammad Dingyadi, in order to resolve the dispute between the union and the Dangote Group, was billed to hold at the headquarters of the Ministry, Abuja.
Daily Trust reports that the Federal Government, on Sunday appealed to NUPENG to reconsider their stance on the declared commencement a nationwide industrial action, saying it has waded into the dispute.
The government had also pleaded with the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) to withdraw the red alert it issued to its affiliate unions to be on standby for a nationwide strike in solidarity with the petroleum workers.
Specifically, the dispute borders on Dangote Group company’s policy against unionisation by its employees, with NUPENG insisting that no oil worker will work with Dangote group without being unionised.
The union, while protesting alleged anti-workers and anti-union agenda of the Dangote Group, argued that the company’s policy was meant to enslave the oil workers it employed to render critical services in its refinery.
However, our correspondent reports that the peace meeting, which was supposed to commence by 10:00am, according to the spokesperson of the ministry, Patience Onuobia, was yet to start as at 2:30pm on Monday when filing this report.
Onuobia had earlier Monday morning in a formal invitation to journalists disclosed that the conciliation meeting would hold by 10:00 am at the Minister’s Conference room.
“The Ministry of Labour invites you to cover NUPENG/NLC/Dangote Group conciliation meeting. Venue: Minister’s Conference Room, Federal Secretariat CBD Abuja. Date Monday 8 September, 2024 (today) Time: 10am prompt. The late invitation is regretted,” she had said.
Sources within the Labour House told Daily Trust that representatives of NUPENG who would attend the meeting were still in Lagos as 1:30pm, coordinating how to make already declared strike effective.
“That’s not how things are done. The government is not serious about handling critical issues. How can you allow them to declare strike first before looking for a way to resolve it.
“These people didn’t just declare strike. They had since notified necessary quarters including Labour ministry about their planned action but nothing was done till last minute. That’s not the way to go.
“I’m not blaming the government but if at the government would wade into the dispute, it should have been done earlier than now, not when everything has now scattered that you will now be looking for a way forward,” the source said.
Another source said, “Even if they will attend the meeting, not today, because you can’t expect them to fly into Abuja today and still rush to attend a meeting. They have to first settle down, meeting the NLC leadership before anything.”
Meanwhile, our Correspondent observed that the Minister, Dingyadi has been holding a closed-door meeting with representative of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) while journalists are still waiting for NUPENG/FG’s meeting.(Daily trust)
