PENGASSAN Threatens Strike Over Petro Bill

The Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) has threatened to shutdown the country’s oil and gas operations indefinitely if the National Assembly proceeds to pass the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) into law without making the authentic version of the bill public for national discussion.

Also, member representing Oredo Federal Constituency at the House of Representatives, Patrick Obahiagbon, has pledged to lead a public protest over the current state of the Lagos-Benin Highway if the road is not promptly fixed.

Addressing a media conference at the National Assembly, Obahiagbon recalled that two years ago he sponsored a motion drawing the attention of the House to the state of the Lagos-Benin road, especially its Ore-Benin City portion, urging the Federal Government to repair it, which members passed.

He also recalled that former Minister of Transport, Mrs. Diezani Allison-Madueke, wept and apologised to the nation while inspecting the road, raising expectation that the highway would be fixed immediately.

PENGASSAN in the Upstream Sector, also known as “Producers Forum” also said a situation where some oil and gas companies act with alleged impunity and in total disrespect for the extant labour laws, principles of natural justice and equity in their approach to labour and industrial relations matters, would soon plunge the nation’s oil and gas industry into a series of avoidable crises with huge implications for the economy.

The forum’s Chairman and Secretary, Victor Olley and Peter O. Akpenka, condemned alleged circulation of different versions of the Bill by the executive, the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and other government agencies, saying “it is all calculated to mask the true intent of the bill and hoodwink the general public into accepting it.”