As of 11 pm, midnight at the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment, parties to the deliberation could not arrive at any meaningful resolution.
The representative of Dangote Refinery, Sayyu Dantata, had walked out of the meeting, which had in attendance, both ministers of labour, the leaders of NUPENG, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC), Petroleum Tankers Drivers (PTD) and the Nigerian Midstream & Downstream Petroleum Authority (NMDPRA).
Recall that NUPENG had said it would start sourcing for alternative employment from September 8, over the refusal by Aliko Dangote to allow newly-employed Compressed Natural Gas (CNG)-powered tanker drivers at the Dangote Refinery to “join labour unions.”
Although some of the unionists at some point staged a walkout, they later went in but still failed to reach any meaningful conclusion.
Some of the labour leaders were overheard complaining about the representative from Dangote Group, who was alleged to be making matters worse for them as he was being recalcitrant to sign the MoU.
Some of the unionists, however, suggested that the meeting should be adjourned for a later date.
Addressing newsmen after the meeting abruptly came to an end, the President of NUPENG, Williams Akporeha, who accused Dangote of an intent to not only monopolise the system but also to monopolise the workers, insisted that the union would not allow any form of modern slavery.
He said: The action of Labour is also for the interest of Nigerians. We cannot stand and see an investor whose main purpose is to come and enslave Nigerians.
“It cannot take us back to the dark days of slavery. Nigerians have wished so well that we enslave them. So it’s unfortunate that at this point in time, we’re having an investor whose main purpose is to say there can’t be a union in his establishment.
“He wants to monopolise the entire system and even monopolise workers alongside them. We said no, and it can’t happen during our time.”
Acting General Secretary of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Comrade Benson Upah, explained that due to the action of the representative of Dangote Refinery, the parties involved were unable to reach any form of agreement.
“The representative of the Dangote refinery walked out on the Minister and organised labour. So there was no agreement? No, even when we bent backwards to accommodate his uncompromising behaviour, he still did what he had to do. So we are left with no option but to do the needful.”
When asked what the needful might be, he responded, “The action continues,” even as he added, “It takes more than a party to reach a resolution. So whenever the representative of the Dangote petroleum refinery sees the need for a meaningful dialogue, we are ready.
“We are ready any time, even this night. If he changes his manner and comes back, that he is ready for discussion, we are here. That is the reason why we are here.”
On the impact the strike would have on the masses, the NLC asked that the unions should not be put on the defensive; rather, “I want you to speak courageously to the misbehaviour of this gentleman.”
Earlier, before proceeding into a closed-door session, the Minister of Labour and Employment, Muhammad Dingyadi, had appealed to all parties to be peaceful and accommodating to reach an agreement.
According to him, the government was committed to ensuring peace and stability with unions in the oil and gas industry, whom he stressed were not ones to toy with.
“We believe that the gentlemen who are here today will assist us, and I can see the level of commitment in them to see that we resolve these issues
“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 will play with. I want to appeal to all of us to try as much as possible to have a listening ear and be ready to contribute to relegation of this matter.”
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