Abia NURTW State Chairman Brokers Peace at Nigerian Breweries Aba

The Abia State Chairman of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), Mr. Chukwuma Aside a.k.a China, today visited Nigerian Breweries in Aba to resolve a crisis that erupted between the company’s truck drivers and some miscreants impersonating the union. The visit followed recent disturbances that disrupted operations at the brewery.

The State Chairman, who led the delegation, assured management that the matter had been resolved and pledged to restructure the local branch leadership to prevent future impersonation of the union. During the peace meeting with Mr. Lolu Ogunkeye, Brewery Manager, the Chairman emphasized the union’s commitment to maintaining harmony with key contributors to the state’s economy. “We are committed to ensuring peace, especially for companies like Nigerian Breweries whose contributions to the state cannot be ignored.

The issue that arose was unnecessary and should never have escalated. We want your operations to run seamlessly, without interference,” he stated. “Anyone impersonating the union will be removed, and leadership structures will be properly aligned,” he added. Mr. Ogunkeye, in his remarks, expressed disappointment over the disruptions, which he said forced management to seek military intervention. He however appreciated the swift intervention of the NURTW Chairman and the Abia State Government.

“My office is open to everyone. If there are issues, people should come to me directly instead of constituting a nuisance. The embarrassment caused was avoidable. I had to fly down from Lagos because of the number of calls I was getting from our head office,” Ogunkeye said. “We lost three days of work, and for a multinational company, that translates into millions of naira in losses. Going forward, we expect better collaboration to avoid such incidents.” Also present at the meeting was Comr. Miracle Chukwunenye, He highlighted the administration’s resolve under Governor Alex Otti, OFR, to protect businesses and ensure a stable operating environment. “The interest of businesses like Nigerian Breweries and Leventis will always be protected under this government.

Any challenge related to transportation or regulation should be channeled through the recognized leadership. That way, we avoid unnecessary escalation, including military involvement,” he said. Comr. Chukwunenye further reminded the management that the ongoing reconstruction of the industrial road which passes by the brewery, was personally ordered to be completed by Governor Otti despite earlier hesitations, which he stated is all in the interest of the brewery to have seamless operations.

He also highlighted some of Governor Alex Otti's achievement especially on infrastructure and security, stating that these interventions indicate the Governor's commitment to provide enabling environment for businesses like theirs to thrive. The meeting ended with assurances from the NURTW leadership that the union would ensure hitch-free truck movement and smooth relations with Nigerian Breweries, while the brewery pledged to continue its collaboration with the National Union of Road Transport and relevant authorities in Abia State. Signed: NURTW, Abia State Chapter September 19, 2025.