03 June 2013, Lagos – Nigeria Union of Petroleum & Natural Gas Workers, NUPENG, has promised to embrace social dialogue as a key to addressing issues that affects it activities.
Lagos Zonal Chairman, Alhaji Tokunbo Korodo made the promise during the third NUPENG quadrennial conference/election, even as he was re-elected as Chairman, along-side other officials.
Korodo said; “T he only thing I can assure is that I will work with my team and ensure that we have a crisis free tenure for my second tenure, a situation whereby there is an issue, instead of subject Nigerians to hardship, we will embrace social dialogue on all issues and if there is need for us to justify or go ahead on industrial strike action we will try to justify it before we go.
“When we have issues and the relevant body that is supposed to tackle it refuses or fail to embrace dialogue with us, then we have no other option than speak the language they understand. But we will try to take an extra step to create a very cordial relationship.”
He added that the union is now maintaining peace with the Lagos State Government, unlike where it has faced confrontations from various agencies, “in the past we have been confronting ourselves, but this time we have created a peaceful approach to our issues, we meet, we socialize and also dialogue on all issues that is why we have less confrontation with Lagos state and also in Ogun State and all the government arms, we are going to ensure we have lesser strike action within the next tenure.
Speaking on the state’s government plan to relocate some tank farms, he said, “The deed has been done, there are some physical arrangements they suppose to have done. When such has failed, there is no way we can relocate the tank farms over night unless it will affect the distribution of petroleum product.”
He hinted that the government has come to terms with the union, stating, “That is why they give the directive that there should be no more further localization of tank farm in Lagos for now especially in congested places like Apapa.
*Providence Obuh, Vanguard
