Uncertainty Trails NUPENG Planned Nationwide Strike

Uncertainty surrounds the National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) recent nationwide strike threat following the expiration of the ultimatum its national secretariat issued to the Federal Government.

Investigation revealed that some of the officials and unit officers of the union in the state are yet to receive directive from the NUPENG national secretariat on the strike contrary to the ultimatum.

The union’s unit chairman at the Oando Tank Farm in Port Harcourt said “as the unit chairman, l am yet to receive any directive from either the union’s state office or national secretariat to mobilise our members fo a nationwide strike in accordance with the union’s ultimatum to government”.

The unit chairman further said that “when we receive such directive we will comply without hesitation”.

He stated that unit officers of the union in the state were yet to be briefed on the appropriateness and propriety of the nationwide strike by the union state or national officers.

Also, at the Master Energy Loading Depot Abonnema Wharf, the union officials said they were loading pending the directive of the state or national secretariat of the union.

The official said “we are working, you could see tankers are loading (PMS) for distribution, we are yet to receive any strike directive”.

He added that members of the union were waiting on the state officials to summon the various unit officials for a meeting for explanation on the National secretariat directive.

Meanwhile, the general secretary of the union, Comrade Elijah Okougbo had in a statement in Abuja said that the strike had to do with unresolved issues over loan obtained by Jetty and Petroleum Tank Farm Owners Association of Nigeria (JEPTFON) from some banks in the country to satisfy the demand for fuel importation.

According to the union’s scribe, the union was demanding the implementation of a section of the agreement reached with the federal government to allow JEPTFON, a subsidiary association of the union to pay back the loan in 15 years with three percent interest rate.

Comrade Okougbo said the union was compelled to issue the ultimatum following the federal government non-implementation of the agreement as well as the banks pressure on the petroleum tank farm owners.

He added that the union had made efforts to call the attention of government agencies to the JEPTFON plight without success despite drastic reduction of their workforce to repay the loan.

Philip Okparaji