The industrial peace brokered between the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) and the management of Dangote Refinery is on the brink of collapse as the union has accused Alhaji Sayyu Aliu Dantata of violating the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed on September 9, at the Department of State Services (DSS) headquarters in Abuja.
In a call for government’s urgent intervention statement issued on Thursday and jointly signed by NUPENG’s National President, Comrade Williams Akporeha, and General Secretary, Comrade Afolabi Olawale, the union alleged that Dantata had launched a brazen assault on workers’ rights and union activities, actions which they claim could plunge the nation into another round of crippling industrial unrest.
The union said it was “alerting the general public and the government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria” to what it described as Dantata’s “arrogant disregard for official institutions and blatant lack of respect for the laws of this country.”
According to NUPENG, Dantata on Wednesday, September 10, ordered all his truck drivers who are long-standing members of the Petroleum Tanker Drivers (PTD) branch of NUPENG to remove the union’s stickers from their trucks, a move seen as an attempt to undermine workers’ right to unionise.
This latest development comes barely two days after the Federal Government intervened to end a strike by NUPENG that could have paralysed fuel distribution across the country.
The industrial action was triggered by allegations of unfair labour practices, including Dangote Group’s refusal to recognise and allow workers the right to freely associate under the PTD branch of NUPENG, intimidation of union leaders, and the imposition of harsh working conditions on tanker drivers.
After several hours of intense negotiations at the DSS headquarters, a truce was reached and an MoU was signed, with three ministers and the Deputy Director General of the DSS present as witnesses.
The MoU contained key resolutions guaranteeing the right of workers to freely associate without intimidation, a commitment to halt all anti-union activities by Dangote Group, and an agreement that no worker would be victimised for participating in the strike. It also included a clause for continuous dialogue between both parties under the supervision of relevant government agencies to prevent future breakdowns of industrial peace. And Alhaji AliuDantata was a signatory to the MoU on behalf of Dangote Refinery.
The statement in full reads; This is to alert the general public and the government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria that notwithstanding the resolution reached and signed at the office of the DSS with three ministers and the Deputy Director General of the DSS in attendance on the right of unionisation of the workers, Alhaji AliuDantata on Wednesday, September 10 , instructed all his truck drivers who are NUPENG-PTD members for several years to remove the Union Stickers from their trucks yesterday.
“Today, Thursday, September 11, he instructed them to forcefully drive into Dangote Refinery to load and union officials stopped them from entering the refinery to load because their trucks violated union loading rules and regulations.
“Alhaji AliuDantata flew over them several times with his helicopter and then called the Navy to come over ostensibly to crush the union officials.
“Our members are waiting for him and his agents to run them over.
We call on everyone to let Alhaji Aliu Dantata know that he is not bigger than the Federal Republic of Nigeria and we condemn his attitude towards official institutions of this country and lack of respect for the laws of this country.
“We call on the Federal Government not to allow the Navy and other security agents being paid by the resources of this country to be used with impunity against the laws and people of this country. Security agents should not allow an individual to ride roughshod with impunity even while not observing terms of agreement reached in meetings in which security agents were facilitated along with ministers .
“We are by this statement placing all our members on red alert for the resumption of the suspended nationwide industrial action and calling on the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Trade Union Congress (TUC), all Regional and Global Working people and civil society organizations (CSOs) to rise in support and solidarity against this threat .
“His wealth cannot make him above the law. We assure the people and the government that NUPENG will continue to remain a patriotic, responsible and responsive organisation to this country.”
