Oil Union and Government Dispute in Nigeria 1999 – 2007

Abstract

The oil union, namely, national union of the petroleum and natural gas workers of Nigeria (NUPENG) in the downstream of the in recent years had engaged government in confrontation that has resulted in strikes. The dispute has shifted from the traditional demand for wage increase to demand for friendly government policies towards its members. The catalyst that has led to this is the increasingly roles that the oil union is playing in the transportation and delivery of refined petroleum products in the country. This came following the infrastructure decay and lack of maintenance of the nations four refineries as well as pipelines. Consequently, the dependence on imported refined petroleum products coupled with the availability of a single importation outlet namely, Atlas Cove based in Lagos made the over one five thousand (5000) tanker vehicles of the oil union members in the country have to converged in Lagos for loading of the products and then moved back to their various stations in the country. The major implications of these are that environmental hazard such as tanker vehicles parking on high ways, pollutions and frequent accidents that made some state governments namely Lagos and Ogun to imposed restriction on their activities. However, the attempt has often resulted in disputes. The paper therefore, focuses on the dispute the oil union had with the Ogun state government over the parking of tanker vehicles and pollution at Ogere along Lagos - Ibadan high way (the busiest road in the country) The paper interviews members of the oil unions, the government officials both federal (central) and state (provincial) government officials as well as consulted relevant publications and archives. Group and frustration theories that posits that when an organised people that has same goals and objectives feel that their interest is being threats would become aggressive due to frustration served as theoretical frameworks.The paper argues that the consequence environmental hazards caused by the activities of the oil union members are a product of the inefficiency and ineptness of successive governments in the country. It further argues that government at both the state and federal levels must made concerted efforts to build and rehabilitated refineries as well as its associated facilities. It could in the short run have a joint monitoring committee be set up comprising members of the stakeholders to regulate the activities of the parties.

Keywords: Oil, Dispute, Ogere, NUPENG, Atlas Cove.