A National Industrial Court sitting in Abuja has stopped the National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) and the Direct Trucking Company Drivers’ Association from disrupting operations at the Dangote Petroleum Refinery. The interim order came after Nigeria’s newest mega-refinery alleged that threats of industrial action could cripple its operations and affect fuel supplies.
Justice Emmanuel Subilim issued the restraining order following an ex-parte motion filed by Dangote Petroleum Refinery, MRS Oil Nigeria Limited, and MRS Oil and Gas Company Limited. The companies told the court that immediate intervention was necessary to prevent a shutdown and protect ongoing petroleum trucking services crucial to their business and to the Nigerian public.
In their motion, the applicants asked the court to bar NUPENG and its members from any strike action or activities that could frustrate refinery operations. They also sought an order compelling the Direct Trucking Company Drivers’ Association to continue delivering petroleum products despite any industrial dispute, pending the determination of their substantive motion on notice.
Justice Subilim ruled in favour of the oil companies, citing the potential for irreparable damage if their operations were disrupted. She emphasized that the balance of convenience tilted in favour of the applicants and granted the interim injunction for seven days. The judge also noted that the applicants had given an undertaking to cover damages should the unions later prove their case.
A certified copy of the enrolled order showed that the case file would be reassigned to another judge as the court’s vacation period had ended. For now, the ruling compels the trucking drivers’ association to maintain petroleum deliveries and bars NUPENG from any strike action until the dispute is resolved. The decision marks a critical moment in the ongoing tensions between the labour union and Nigeria’s largest private refinery.
source: The sun