Minister of State for Health, Ishaq Salako, says the proposed nationwide strike by the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers, NUPENG, would affect hospitals across the country due to their reliance on fuel-powered generators.
Salako issued this warning on Monday, while responding to questions in an interview on ‘Sunrise Daily’, a programme on Channels Television.
He said, “A strike by NUPENG will obviously affect the health sector because, as it is today, our hospitals are 65 to 80 per cent dependent on diesel and petrol generators.
“So if there is a strike, it will also have an adverse effect on the health sector, and you obviously don’t want that.”
The minister, however, appealed to both parties in the dispute to exercise restraint in the interest of the public.
“My comment is to appeal to both parties to allow reason to prevail; the ordinary citizen must be at the centre of the discussion. As rightly observed, any strike by NUPENG will certainly disrupt a lot of things, economic activities and social activities. So, we don’t want a strike.
“I’d just appeal that a balance needs to be reached. Dangote is playing an important role in the economy, trying to improve our domestic capacities. There is also the right to associate and unionise, but that must be balanced,” he added.
DAILY POST recalls that NUPENG had on Friday announced that its members would cease work from September 8 in protest against alleged moves by the Dangote Refinery to prevent its Compressed Natural Gas, CNG, tanker drivers from joining labour unions.
