NLC Supports NUPENG Strike as Tanker Drivers Challenge Union Leadership

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has mobilized its branches nationwide in response to a proposed strike by the Nigerian Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG). The NLC has positioned itself against the perceived anti-worker policies of the Dangote Group, pledging full support for the strike, which aims to address workers’ rights and unionization issues.

In a striking counter-move, the Petroleum Tanker Drivers (PTD) branch of NUPENG has openly criticized its national leadership. The PTD accuses the executives of mismanagement and warns that the planned strike could jeopardize national economic stability. Additionally, truck drivers represented by the Direct Trucking Company Drivers Association (DTCDA) have denounced the strike, calling it a disservice to the nation.

Chief Oyewole Akanni, Chairman of the Western Zone of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN), confirmed that the association plans to shut down operations starting Monday in solidarity with NUPENG. This decision underscores the ongoing tensions within the oil distribution sector.

In a statement, NLC President Joe Ajaero addressed the situation, urging the Dangote Group and its affiliates to halt practices deemed anti-union. He emphasized the need for immediate unionization not only of the Dangote Refinery but across all entities within the group. “We place the entire Nigerian workers, state councils, and industrial unions in Nigeria on red alert,” Ajaero stated.

Countering this, prominent PTD leaders, Chief Blessing Dafinone and Comrade Joseph Dagogo-Jack, accused NUPENG President Williams Akporeha and General Secretary Afolabi Olawale of corruption and undermining the economy. They labelled the strike threat as “insensitive and wicked,” advocating for negotiation rather than confrontation. The PTD leaders asserted, “NUPENG leaders are economic saboteurs using the union to pursue personal interests.”

The DTCDA echoed these sentiments, with President Enoch Kanawa stating that disrupting petroleum distribution is both unconstitutional and exploitative. He highlighted the importance of maintaining stability within the sector.

In a show of allegiance to the industry’s progress, the tanker drivers praised Aliko Dangote and Abdul Samad Rabiu Dantata as “patriotic businessmen modernizing the industry and aligning with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.” Their remarks indicate a broader concern for the future of Nigeria’s oil sector, which is critical to the nation’s economy.

As the situation develops, the conflicting positions between NUPENG’s leadership and the tanker drivers, along with support from the NLC and IPMAN, reflect the ongoing struggle for workers’ rights and economic stability within Nigeria’s vital petroleum industry. The outcome of these tensions may have significant implications for both the workforce and the economy at large.