NUPENG Blames Minister For Strike

The National Union of Petroleum and Natural gas Workers (NUPENG) has told the federal government to hold the minister  responsible for the strike for their lukewarm attitude to labour issues .
The National President of NUPENG, Mr Achese Igwe, gave the advise in an interview with  newsmen in Abuja on Monday.
He said: “it is obvious that some of the members of his cabinet do not take issues of serious concern to the country  seriously. The President must reshuffle his cabinet if he wants to succeed.
“It is obvious that there are sycophants in his cabinet and they must be shown the way out very fast.’’
The union leader said it was alarming that another round of fuel scarcity has hit the nation following the start on Monday of the three-day warning strike embarked upon by NUPENG.
He said the Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs Diezani Alison-Madueke, knew the union was going to embark on the warning strike, “yet, she travelled out of the country without addressing the issues raised by the union.’’
Igwe said it was unfortunate that issue pertaining of the welfare of workers no longer meant anything to some Nigerian leaders.
“NUPENG today begins a nationwide three-day warning strike to protest against what it termed unfair labour practises by Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC), Chevron Nigeria Ltd. and Agip Oil Company.”
“The details of all the issues are on the minister’s table yet she travelled out of the country on the day the strike started without addressing these issues. “It is only in Nigeria that you can see leaders who don’t really bother about the feelings of the people
“The NNPC Group Managing Director, Mr Andrew Yakubu, cancelled his trip to Brazil because of the strike, so tell me what  it will cost the minister to cancel her trip and address the issues on ground,’’ Igwe asked.
It would be recalled  that NUPENG on Monday started a three-day nationwide warning strike over what it termed “unfair labour practises by some international oil companies in Nigeria.’’
The union, therefore, directed Petroleum Tanker Drivers (PTDs) not to load products in all fuel depots and tank farms across the country, during the three days warning strike.
NUPENG is also protesting against alleged refusal of the National Association of Road Transport Owners (NARTO) to implement the signed collective bargaining agreement with PTD, and “the poor state of Nigerian roads.’’