The Federal Government yesterday appealed to the National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) to suspend its planned nationwide strike scheduled to begin today.

The Minister of Labour and Employment Muhammad Dingyadi, who made the appeal, urged the union to reconsider its decision, warning that shutting down the petroleum sector would severely cripple the economy and worsen the hardship faced by citizens.

He said: “I have intervened in this matter and invited all parties for a conciliation meeting.”

The minister also appealed to the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) to withdraw its red alert directing affiliate unions to prepare for solidarity action with petroleum workers.

He said: “The petroleum sector is the core of our economy. “Even a day’s strike will cause heavy revenue losses, running into billions, and bring untold hardship to Nigerians.”

Dingyadi promised the public that the dispute between NUPENG and the Dangote Group over unionisation rights would be resolved peacefully to avoid any disruption in the vital oil and gas industry.