A tense silence has fallen over the petrol stations in Port Harcourt, as the nationwide strike by the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG), takes full effect leaving residents stranded and fuelling fears of an impending scarcity.
Filling stations across the oil-rich city were under lock and key with their gates shut and pumps dry, in strict compliance with a directive from the union’s leadership.
The industrial action has also unexpectedly crippled the supply of cooking gas, as operators of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) stations have also joined the strike, leaving many households in a quandary.
A fuel station owner who spoke to our correspondent on the condition of anonymity confirmed the directive. “We are not selling fuel at the moment. NUPENG has directed that we shouldn’t sell. Anyone who does contrary will face a penalty,” he stated.
The total shutdown is the outcome of a failed peace meeting held in Abuja between the Federal Government, NUPENG, and the Dangote Group. The closed-door session, led by the Minister of Labour, Mohammed Dingyadi, and the Minister of State for Labour, Nkiruka Onyejeocha, was convened to avert the planned strike.
Despite the presence of top NUPENG leaders, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), the Trade Union Congress (TUC), and industry regulators, the meeting ended in a deadlock, with both sides failing to reach a consensus.
At the heart of the dispute are allegations by NUPENG that the Dangote Refinery is attempting to prevent its Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) tanker drivers from joining trade unions, a claim the refinery has denied.
With the strike now in force, the federal government has issued a fresh plea, urging NUPENG to suspend its action immediately. Officials have warned that even a single day of strike could result in massive economic losses and severe hardship for millions of Nigerians already grappling with high fuel costs.
