Amid the seeming cold war between them and the management of the Dangote refinery, tanker drivers under the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers have threatened to stop fuel loading.
The crisis began with the plan by the Dangote refinery to import 4,000 compressed natural gas-powered trucks for the direct distribution of fuel to retailers.
Though the scheme scheduled to commence on August 15 was delayed by logistics challenges in China, the refinery told our correspondent that it would flag it off when a good number of the trucks are received.
But NUPENG, in a statement signed by its President, Williams Akporeha, and the General Secretary, Afolabi Olawale, on Friday, accused the management of the Dangote refinery of alleged anti-labour practices inimical to the survival and means of livelihoods of its members under its Petroleum and Tanker Drivers Branch.
The union lamented that the founder of the refinery, Aliko Dangote, had said that new drivers would be recruited for the imported trucks, and none of them would be allowed to join any union.
The union described the position taken by the management of Dangote refinery as an affront to the right of association, guaranteed under the 1999 Constitution, and a breach of relevant international labour laws to which Nigeria is a signatory.
NUPENG recalled several meetings it initiated, jointly with the leadership of the Nigerian Association of Road Transport Owners, to prevail on Aliko Dangote to rescind his stance on not allowing its drivers to join trade unions. However, the union expressed regret that its appeals were allegedly ignored.
