By Peter Onyekachukwu 
By Peter Onyekachukwu
The Federal Government on Monday appealed to members of the National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) not to allow their ongoing strike to destabilise Nigeria’s fragile economy.
Minister of Labour and Employment, Muhammad Maigari Dingyadi, made the appeal in Abuja while hosting NUPENG leaders at a meeting summoned to resolve their dispute with the Dangote Group.
The strike, which commenced on Monday, stems from NUPENG’s opposition to what it described as Dangote Group’s anti-union policy. The union insists that no oil worker should be engaged by the company without being unionised, accusing the conglomerate of trying to “enslave” workers rendering critical services at its refinery.
Dingyadi, however, warned that the crisis in the oil sector could trigger economic instability if not quickly resolved.
“We are here to reconcile our labour unions in the oil industry and the employers in Dangote Group. This is not the first time we are having this kind of dispute,” the minister said before the meeting went into a closed-door session.
“We believe that by the time we sit down with parties involved, we should be able to settle them within the limits of what is possible. What we are discussing today is very important to the peace and stability of the country and our economy. The oil industry is not a sector that we can afford to play with.”
The minister urged both sides to approach the talks with peace, tolerance, and a willingness to accommodate opposing views.
NUPENG’s delegation was led by its President, Williams Akporeha, and General Secretary, Olawale Afolabi, while government representatives were led by the minister.
Although the emergency meeting was scheduled for 10:00 a.m., it eventually commenced at 5:22 p.m.
More details are expected after the closed-door deliberations.