Dangote Refinery: NEPZA reaffirms 10-year ban on strikes, lockouts in Free Trade Zones

By John Alechenu, Abuja

The Nigeria Export Processing Zones Authority (NEPZA) has reiterated that the instrumentality prohibiting concern strikes and lockouts wrong Free Trade Zones (FTZs) — including the Dangote Refinery — for a play of 10 years remains successful afloat effect.

NEPZA’s Managing Director, Dr. Olufemi Ogunyemi, made this clarification successful a connection issued connected Wednesday successful Abuja by the Authority’s Head of Corporate Communications, Dr. Martins Odeh.

Ogunyemi said the reminder was indispensable pursuing what helium described arsenic predominant outer national interferences that person disrupted operations astatine the Dangote Refinery.

He noted that the Nigeria Export Processing Zones Act, nether Section 18(5), explicitly states that:

“There shall beryllium nary strikes oregon lockouts for a play of 10 years pursuing the commencement of operations wrong a Zone, and the Authority shall resoluteness immoderate commercialized quality arising wrong a Zone.”

According to the NEPZA boss, portion workers successful the Free Zones clasp the close to articulation oregon signifier commercialized unions and prosecute successful corporate bargaining, immoderate quality indispensable archetypal beryllium referred to NEPZA for solution arsenic required by law.

He added that the caller quality betwixt PENGASSAN and the Dangote Refinery should person been routed done NEPZA’s administrative framework, which operates a “One-Stop-Shop” strategy designed to guarantee swift and businesslike solution of issues.

Ogunyemi further emphasized that Free Trade Zones are governed by circumstantial ineligible provisions, and that outer labour laws lone use to the grade they are accordant with the NEPZA Act.

“In cases of struggle betwixt the Trade Unions Act (TUA) oregon Trade Disputes Act (TDA) and Section 18(5), the provisions of Section 18(5) instrumentality precedence arsenic the much circumstantial regularisation governing Free Zones,” helium explained.

He besides expressed appreciation for the swift involution of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, noting that his enactment helped to de-escalate tensions and safeguard a captious nationalist economical asset.

Dr. Ogunyemi reaffirmed NEPZA’s committedness to maintaining concern harmony successful each Free Trade Zones, describing constructive labour relations arsenic an indispensable constituent for Nigeria’s continued concern maturation and economical stability.

The station Dangote Refinery: NEPZA reaffirms 10-year prohibition connected strikes, lockouts successful Free Trade Zones appeared archetypal connected Vanguard News.