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Industrial Action: PENGASSAN issues FG a 7 days ultimatum to meet these demands

The Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN), in a statement on Thursday threatened to embark on a nationwide strike if the Government fails to direct the Management of Neconde and other companies to recall sacked members.

The Association gave the Federal Government till December 18 to meet with its demands, appealing to Nigerians to stockpile enough petroleum products that will last them throughout the yuletide.

According to a statement signed by the Association’s General Secretary, Lumumba Okugbawa, the Union accused some indigenous oil and gas companies and marginal field operators of unfair labour practices.

Although, only one company’s name was disclosed in the statement, Unionists warned that the actions of companies like Neconde, in the mass sack of Nigerian workers, has contributed to the unending militancy in the Niger Delta.

PENGASSAN lamented that Neconde conducted itself as being above provisions of the laws and regulations guiding the operations of oil and gas companies in Nigeria, boasting that no Government agency can call it to order.

“It was therefore no surprise that Neconde has defied multiple interventions from the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment, the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) and the top Management of Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and Nigeria Petroleum Development Company (NPDC) for the company to toe the path of law and order and comply with Nigerian labour laws”.

The Association also pointed out that the Union had exhausted all available options left, without results, hence the need for the statement.

Demands of the Union

1. Implementation of resolutions reached at the National Executive Council (NEC) meeting of October 13, 2017, held in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State.

2. An end to the delay in passing the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB)

(a) Adverse labour clauses identified in the bill should be addressed before its passage (b) Strong security strategies and the use of modern equipment to end unnecessary attacks and damaging of National assets should be adopted.

3. Rehabilitation of refineries and other Government-owned installations

(a) Comprehensive Turn Around Maintenance (TAM) in all three NNPC Refineries (b) Distinct plans and implementation strategy for crude supply to Refineries (c) Facilities like depots, jetties, tank farms, pipelines and pump stations should undergo rehabilitation.

4. Anti-labour posture and practices of Indigenous companies and Marginal Field Operators

5. Address all issues on abuse of service contract and casual staffing

6. Create enabling environment for job creation

7. Carryout urgent repairs of roads leading to refineries and other oil and gas installations

8. Government always respect agreements reached with workers’ unions to avert industrial crisis in the country

9. Diversification of the Economy

(a) Government initiates policies aimed at reducing interest rates and inflation to a single digit rate, in order to improve the economy (b) Loan facilities contemplated to be taken by governments be streamlined, to avoid further dragging the country into another recession.

10. The Government should tackle other security threats such as kidnapping and influx of arms and ammunition into the Country.

11. Transparency and Governance

(a) Commit recovered funds to use in critical sectors such as power (b) Thorough investigations of corrupt cases by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), and reorientation of the Judiciary to ensure quick dispensation of justice.

12. All planned taxation of pensions, gratuities and terminal benefits be resisted and rejected.

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