Minister Urges Oil Marketers To Shelve Retrenchment Plan

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

Chairman of the Lagos branch of the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Aviation of Nigeria (PENGASSAN), Mr. Folorunso told newsmen recently that the minister had directed that major Oil Marketers Association of Nigeria (MOMAN) and PENGASSAN should suspend their plans for now.

According to him, the minister gave the directive at a meeting held with representatives of PENGASSAN, MOMAN, Nigeria National Petroleum Company (NNPC) in Abuja, recently.

He added that the minister also directed that the work-to-rule action emabarked upon by members of PENGASSAN since last Monday should also be suspended immediately.

On the part of PENGASSAN, officials who spoke to newsmen on condition of anonymity said that based on the agreement reached with the minister, members of the union had suspended their work-to-rule last Friday.

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,” he said.

It will be recalled that members of MOMAN planned to retrench workers over lingering issues with the Federal Government.

Sogbeba Dokubo