The Nigerian Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers, NUPENG, has announced the disbandment of the Direct Trucking Company Drivers Association, DTCDA, which was founded by Dangote refinery management.
This is part of the agreement signed between NUPENG leadership and a representative from the Dangote Petrochemical refinery prior to the suspension of the former’s strike.
The deal was struck on Tuesday at the Department of State Services’ (DSS) headquarters in Abuja.
The DTCDA is a new union founded by Dangote refinery management for its employees, but the NUPENG boss stated that it has been decided that it should be liquidated, noting that the Ministry of Labour has already deemed it an illegal organization.
The Minister of Labour and Employment, Muhammad Maigari Dingyadi, stated that the DSS office was chosen because it provided a distinct setting and allowed the Minister of Finance to attend.
The President of NUPENG, Comrade Williams Akporeha, stated that all controversial matters have been settled.
He said, “We signed an agreement, and members have agreed to the unionization of workers in the Dangote Petrochemical refinery.”
He stated that the strike will be called off immediately and that vessels had begun carrying petroleum products.
Concerning the claimed uncompromising conduct of the Dangote refinery representative, the NUPENG president stated that the Dangote team denied any such behavior.
He said, “They said they didn’t walk out. The man (Dangote refinery representative) said he was hungry and had an ulcer, so he had to go and eat, and that there was nothing like him walking out.”
Speaking on why the contentious issues were not resolved at the Monday night meeting, Akporeha said, “They tried to bring in some clauses. They didn’t agree on our own input, while we also did not agree on their input, but today we have been able to harmonize that, and we have signed.”
Highlighting some of the clauses in contention, he said, “They brought in this DTCDA (Direct Trucking Company Drivers Association), which they don’t have the right to do, and we have also said that going forward, they shouldn’t force any union on the workers; the management should not create any union for the workers.”
