By: Pentho Goldmark The Federal Government has appealed to the National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) to call off it...
By: Pentho Goldmark
The Federal Government has appealed to the National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) to call off its planned nationwide strike, scheduled to begin Monday, September 8, 2025, over a dispute with the Dangote Group regarding the company’s alleged anti-union policies.
Labour and Employment Minister, Muhammad Dingyadi, made the appeal in a statement signed by Patience Onuobia, Head of Information and Public Relations of the ministry, in Abuja on Sunday. The minister also urged the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) to withdraw the red alert it issued to its affiliate unions to be on standby in solidarity with NUPENG.
Since the ministry has intervened in the dispute, I plead with NUPENG to rescind their decision to shut down the petroleum sector from tomorrow,” Dingyadi said. “I also appeal to the NLC to withdraw the red alert it issued to its affiliate unions. The petroleum sector is very important to this country. A strike, even for just a day, will have an adverse impact on the economy, leading to heavy revenue losses running into billions of Naira and causing untold hardship to Nigerians.
The minister disclosed that a conciliation meeting involving all parties has been scheduled for Monday, September 8, 2025, with a view to resolving the dispute amicably.
Meanwhile, petroleum tanker drivers and other related groups, including the Depot and Tanker Owners Association (DTCDA) and Petroleum Tanker Drivers (PTD), have dissociated themselves from the planned NUPENG strike.
Dingyadi stressed the importance of maintaining peace in the sector, which forms the core of Nigeria’s economy, assuring that “this matter will be resolved harmoniously to the satisfaction of all the parties involved.”
He urged labour leaders to give peace a chance, reiterating that the government’s intervention aims to ensure the uninterrupted functioning of the petroleum industry, vital to national stability and economic growth.
Photo credit:The Nation
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