Fuel scarcity looms as oil workers issue 14-day strike warning

The two major oil workers union sin the country, the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) and the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) yesterday in Abuja threatened to shut down the oil and gas industry in Nigeria if the constant victimisation of its leaders is not stopped forthwith.

The unions issued the federal government a 14-day ultimatum to address what it described as precarious working conditions in the oil sector and victimisation of its members by total oil company, failure of which will lead to withdrawal of its services

The unions specifically lamented the sudden transfer of two of its officials, the deputy president of NUPENG, Mr Asuquo Okon who works with AGIP from Lagos to Port-Harcourt and Mrs Elo Victor Ogbonda, the Port-Harcourt zonal secretary of PENGASSAN who was moved to Lagos by Total.

Addressing journalists at the end of the joint national executive council (NEC) meeting, the national president of PENGASSANN, Comrade Francis Johnson also listed other issues such as bad roads across the country as a reason for wanting to embark on the strike.

It urged the members of the National Assembly to pass the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) on return from its recess or the union would lead a protest to the National Assembly.

He said, 'we will not allow the leaders of our unions to suffer such victimisation.'