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State Minister for Health, Dr. Iziaq Salako, has warned that a national strike that is planned nationally by the Nigerian Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (Nupeng) can have destroying consequences for the health sector.
Salako, who spoke on the Sunrise Daily television channel on Monday, stated that the hospital remained very dependent on fuel -powered generators for electricity supply, with between 65 and 80 percent of their operations that rely on diesel and gasoline.
“The strike by Nupeng will clearly affect the health sector because, as now, our hospital is 65 to 80 percent depending on the diesel and gasoline generator. So if there is a strike, it will also hurt the health sector, and you clearly don’t want it,” said the Minister.
Salako appealed to both parties in the ongoing dispute to carry out restraints and emphasize that the welfare of the nigerians must remain the main focus of negotiations.
“My comment is to withdraw both parties to allow reasons to win; ordinary citizens must be the center of discussion. Every strike by Nupeng will definitely interfere with many economic and social activities.
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“So, we do not want strikes. Balance needs to be achieved. Dangote plays an important role in the economy, trying to increase our domestic capacity. There is also the right to get along and unite, but it must be balanced,” he added.
Nupeng had announced on Friday that his intention to start a strike from 8 September with the alleged effort by Dangote Refinery to prevent the driver of his compressed natural gas tanker from joining the union.
While the driver of the petroleum tanker and the truck driver association of the truck company immediately distanced himself from the planned action, Nupeng reiterated on Sunday that the strike would be continued.
However, the federal government has urged trade unions to reconsider its attitude.
In a statement on weekends, the Minister of Manpower and Manpower, Muhammad Maigari Dingyadi, appealed to Nupeng to suspend actions and embrace dialogue.
He also urged the Nigerian Labor Congress (NLC) to attract the “red warning” issued for the affiliation of trade unions in preparation for the act of solidarity on what is described as “anti-labor and anti-driving practice” by dangote groups.
