Nigeria may face another round of fuel scarcity from Monday as the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) has directed its members to halt the loading of petroleum products across the country.
The directive, announced yesterday in Lagos, follows what the union described as unfair labour practices at Dangote Refinery. In a strongly worded statement signed by its President, Comrade Williams Akporeha, and General Secretary, Comrade Afolabi Olawale, the union alleged that tanker drivers under its Petroleum and Tanker Drivers (PTD) Branch were being denied their constitutional rights.
According to NUPENG, the crux of the dispute centres on the position of Alhaji Aliko Dangote, Chairman of Dangote Refinery, who reportedly insisted that drivers recruited to operate the refinery’s fleet of 10,000 Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) trucks would not be allowed to join any trade union.
The union, however, dismissed the stance as “an affront to freedom of association” guaranteed by the 1999 Constitution and reinforced by international labour conventions ratified by Nigeria since 1960.
NUPENG urged the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) to invoke sections of the Petroleum Industry Act that empower it to curb monopolistic practices and ensure fair competition in the sector.
“Nigeria is not a lawless country. No employer has the right to gag workers or deny them their freedom of association,” the statement read in part.
The union warned that if the Federal Government and relevant authorities fail to prevail on Dangote Refinery to respect workers’ rights, it would have no choice but to mobilise its members nationwide for a full-scale industrial action.
The development has raised fresh concerns over a possible disruption in the supply chain, with industry stakeholders warning that any strike action could trigger long queues at filling stations and worsen the country’s energy challenges.
