NUPENG Reinforces Barricade At Dangote Refinery Amid Towing Threats
…Blocks non-union trucks from loading fuel
By The9JaTREND
The Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) has barricaded the entrance of the Dangote Refinery, stopping trucks without its official stickers from gaining access to the facility.
The action, which began on Thursday, followed the alleged flagrant breach of a resolution earlier reached between the union and the management of the Dangote Group over workers’ union rights recognition.
It was gathered that the union decided to barricade the facility’s gate on Thursday after it received information that the management of Dangote Group was planning to forcefully evacuate the trucks the union used to block MRS’s trucks from gaining entry into the loading depot.
It was gathered that the management of Dangote is planning to bring towing vehicles to remove the trucks NUPENG is using to block MRS trucks that are without union’s stickers, a reliable insider source journalists
“So NUPENG reinforced with more trucks to block the entire gate into the refinery,” the source added.
According to videos trending on social media, the management of Dangote Group brought several MRS Oil Nigeria Plc trucks without NUPENG union stickers to load petrol at the Dangote Refinery depot.
However, NUPENG barricaded the facility entrance, blocking the MRS trucks from gaining entry into the facility.
“They (Dangote Group management) went and brought all these MRS trucks without NUPENG union stickers to come and load,” the source said, “They (MRS truck drivers) said their boss told them to remove our union stickers from their trucks.”
It was earlier reported that NUPENG announced the resumption of its suspended nationwide strike, accusing Dangote Group of breaching a resolution brokered by government officials to recognise workers’ union rights.
In a statement jointly signed by its National Executive President, Williams Akporeha, and General Secretary, Afolabi Olawale, NUPENG condemned the actions of Alhaji Sayyu Aliu Dantata, a cousin to billionaire industrialist Aliko Dangote, describing them as “arrogant” and “a blatant lack of respect for the laws of this country.”
The union alleged that despite an agreement reached and signed at the office of the Department of State Services (DSS), with three federal ministers and a deputy director-general of the DSS in attendance, Dantata violated the terms by ordering truck drivers who are NUPENG-PTD members to remove union stickers from their vehicles.
According to NUPENG, on Thursday, September 11, Dantata allegedly directed the drivers to forcefully drive into Dangote Refinery to load, but union officials stopped them for violating union loading rules.
The union further accused Dantata of escalating the situation, noting, “Sayyu Aliu Dantata flew over them several times with his helicopter and then called the Navy of the Federal Republic to come over ostensibly to crush the Union officials. Our members are waiting for him and his agents to run them over.”
NUPENG warned against the use of state security forces in the dispute, urging the federal government to intervene.
NUPENG added that all its members had been placed on red alert for the full resumption of the suspended industrial action.
It also called for solidarity from the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Trade Union Congress (TUC), civil society groups, and international labour bodies.
Reassuring Nigerians, the union pledged its continued patriotism and commitment to protecting workers’ rights.
(SaharaReporters)
