September 09, (THEWILL) — The Dangote Refinery has assured Nigerians that the ongoing strike by fuel tanker drivers will not lead to a shortage of petroleum products.
The assurance followed the commencement of an industrial action on Monday by the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG), protesting what it described as the refinery’s refusal to allow unionisation of its workers.
NUPENG President, Williams Akporeha, speaking Tuesday on Arise TV, accused the refinery of deliberately shutting out workers’ rights.
“What Dangote has shown over time is that he’s not prepared to have workers that will have a say in his employment,” Akporeha said.
Reacting, Dangote Refinery spokesperson, Anthony Chiejina, dismissed the allegation as “cheap blackmail.”
“It’s not true… nobody has done that and nobody has ever,” Chiejina stated.
Despite the company’s assurances, fuel queues resurfaced across several cities on Tuesday as many petrol stations shut down due to the strike.
In Port Harcourt, Rivers State capital, several outlets along the East-West Road, Aba Road, Obi Wali, Ikwerre Road, and the Eleme axis were closed. The development left commuters stranded, with fewer vehicles available on the roads.
At the few stations still dispensing, THEWILL observed long queues of vehicles struggling to access fuel.
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