Ndume Calls for Labour Law Review After Oil Workers’ Strike Hits Nigerians
Senator Ali Ndume has urged the National Assembly to review Nigeria’s labour laws following the recent strike by oil and gas workers over disputes with the Dangote Refinery.
Speaking to the BBC Hausa Service, Ndume said the three-day strike worsened hardship for ordinary Nigerians until the Federal Government intervened.
“The strike brought unnecessary suffering. The price of petrol rose from ₦890 to ₦900, and people were left struggling. We need to review the labour law and make changes,” he stated.
The strike, led by the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN), began on September 28 after the dismissal of hundreds of workers at the refinery. Dangote Refinery maintained that the action was part of restructuring, not a clampdown on union activities.
The industrial action was suspended on October 1 following government intervention, but not before the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) confirmed that crude oil production had dropped by 16 percent and gas trading by 30 percent.
Ndume insisted that while labour unions have the right to protect their members, they must not wield such power at the expense of citizens. “If PENGASSAN felt the refinery treated its members unfairly, it should have gone to court, not cut off fuel supply,” he argued.
He further reminded Nigerians that the Dangote Refinery is a private business built with billions of dollars and urged unions to act with responsibility when engaging with the company.
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