(Ecofin Agency) - Exxon Mobil oil workers have decided to put an end to an industrial action which began last week regarding the dismissal of more than 100 staff, a union official revealed.

“Production will resume any moment. We just rose from a meeting with the management and the issues that had led to the labour impasse have been resolved after the minister of petroleum intervened,” Lumumba Okugbara, acting general secretary of oil labour union PENGASSAN, told Reuters.

Okugbara did not disclose how much crude production had been affected since the union shut down Exxon Mobil's Nigeria headquarters in Lagos. “It was not a total shut down. I cannot tell you for now whether the company has agreed to stop sacking of workers or not but the doors for further negotiations are open,” he said, adding that workers at ExxonMobil facilities had halted operations when the company gave put sack letters on Monday.

Nigeria’s labour unions have in past months condemned oil companies for dismissing workers, as the industry has been hit by low crude prices and a wave of militant attacks in Nigeria's Niger Delta, thereby hindering production capability.

Anita Fatunji