Minister Halts Planned Oil Workers’ retrenchment

The Minister of Labour and Productivity, Chief Chukwuemeka Wogu, has directed oil marketers to suspend their plans to retrench 50 per cent of their workers.

Members of Major Oil Marketers Association of Nigeria (MOMAN) have planned to retrench workers over lingering issues with the Federal Government.

The workers, under the aegis of Petroelum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN), have already started a work-to-rule in the bid to save their jobs.

Mr Folorunso Oginni, Chairman, Lagos State chapter of PENGASSAN, told newmen in Lagos yesterday that the minister had directed that MOMAN and PENGASSAN should suspend their plans for now.

He said that the minister gave the directive at a meeting he held with the representatives of PENGASSAN, MOMAN, NNPC and PPPRA in Abuja on Wednesday.

Oginni said that the meeting lasted for about seven hours.

He said that the minister also directed that the work- to- rule embarked upon by members of PENGASSAN since Monday should be suspended immediately.

The PENGASSAN official said that based on the agreement reached with the minister, members of the union would suspend their work-to- rule today.

“The intention of oil marketers to reduce workforce by 50 per cent is of great concern to the union and all members and this needs to be addressed totally,’’ he said.