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PENGASSAN Strike In Nation’s Interest – TUC
The Chairman of the Trade Union Congress (TUC) in Rivers State, Comrade Chika Onuegbu, has said that the nationwide strike, embarked upon by members of the Petroleum and National Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) was in the best interest of Nigerians.
The Tide recalls that last Friday, oil workers across the country, embarked on strike to protest the non-payment of over $7billion joint venture cash call obligations to oil multinationals by the Federal Government, the mass sack of workers by oil companies, insecurity in the work environment as a result of militants’ attacks, among other issues.
Onuegbu, a staff of Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria, whose tenure elapses as TUC chairman in Rivers State on July 21, 2016, said this in Port Harcourt while fielding questions from journalists over the effectiveness of the industrial action.
The TUC chairman, who was PENGASSAN’s immediate past national industrial relations officer (NIRO), stated that the refusal of the Federal Government to offset it’s share of $7billion liabilities in the joint venture agreement with the oil and gas companies had led to the unprecedented sack of workers in the industry in the last couple of months.
He said: “The actions of government are having greater consequences on the economy. Government has not offset the liabilities of over $7billion owed the joint venture partners in the oil and gas industry.
“Our people working in the oil and gas industry are being sacked. By government, not being able to invest in the oil and gas industry, the returns in the oil and gas industry has reduced, and because of that, the allocation to the federation account is going down,” he added.
Meanwhile, The Tide reports that there has been total compliance of PENGASSAN members with the directive to embark on an indefinite strike since last Friday.
In Port Harcourt, the strike was hugely successful, as many members were not in their offices.
When The Tide visited some of the companies, especially NNPC office on Moscow Road, the Port Harcourt Refinery Company (PHRC) at Alesa-Eleme, Shell Industrial Area at Rumuobiakani, and Total Complex in Trans Amadi, PENGASSAN officials were seen blocking the main gates to their office premises, with no activity inside.
At the NNPC depot in Port Harcourt, the management of the depot initially tried to use industrial trainees (IT) and contract staff to load/offload fuel trucks, but before noon, the leadership of the depot was called to order and the loading was stopped.
Some of the PENGASSAN leaders, who spoke to The Tide, confirmed that their members fully complied with the directive of the national leadership to embark on strike, insisting that the purported reports that the union was to put the strike on hold until after a meeting with Federal Government representatives today, were only part of ‘propaganda’ by those spreading it.
At the Warri zone, there was total compliance except for members in Chevron who had reported to work before 7am but later joined by vacating their offices around before 10 a.m.
“There was no lifting of petroleum products in Warri or anywhere in the zone as our members fully complied with the strike directive,” a PENGASSAN official said.
In Abuja, few members of the association who reported for duty early in the morning were turned back from the NNPC Towers, except for NUPENG members and management staff who went about their normal duties.
A release issued by the National Public Relations Officer of PENGASSAN, Comrade Emmanuel Ojugbana, stated that there was total compliance in government agencies, as the staff stayed away from their offices.
At the Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency (PPPRA), Nigeria Nuclear Regulatory Agency (NNRA), Pipelines and Products Marketing Company (PPMC) and the Petroleum Equalisation Fund (PEFMB) headquarters, virtually all offices were locked.
Ojugbana said: “Members of the association in Lagos also stayed away from their offices, and there was no lifting of petroleum products at the depots and loading bays.
“Even those at the jetties and other critical sections where crude are lifted in Port Harcourt and Lagos also abandoned their duty posts.
“In Kaduna, there was total compliance with the strike directive as members stayed out of their offices.
“Most offices in the Kaduna Refinery and Petrochemical Company (KRPC) were empty and there was no lifting of petroleum products from the depots.
“We commend the support of our NUPENG members here who supported PENGASSAN in ensuring that there was total compliance.”
Ojugbana confirmed full compliance by members, saying that the strike is not only about the members of the association but about the survival of the oil and gas industry in Nigeria.
He said: “The inability of the government to fund the Joint Venture (JV) operations and settle cash call arrears has denied the country of new investments while the existing operations and activities are being stalled.
“This has resulted in lack of new job opportunities while our members who have been in employments are losing their jobs because their employers could not meet their salary obligations to them.
“The union demands the immediate action of government to address the challenge of funding/cash call arrears to avoid the imminent collapse of the industry.
“The government must provide feasible guidelines to clear all outstanding payments going forward and evolve a pragmatic system of funding the Joint Venture (JV) operations,” he said.
Susan Serekara-Nwikhaha
Rivers State, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has assured members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) of his administration’s commitment to supporting and strengthening the scheme in the State.
Fubara gave the assurance last Friday at the NYSC permanent orientation camp, Nonwa-Gbam, Tai Local Government Area in the State, during the swearing-in ceremony of 2026 Batch B Stream II orientation course.
Represented by the Permanent Secretary, Cabinet Bureau, Office of the Secretary to the State Government, Dr. Promise Oguzie, the governor said the State Government would remain intentional in providing the necessary support to improve the NYSC scheme and enhance the experiences of corps members deployed to the state.
He charged the corps members to be role models and quality nation-builders in their service to the good people of Rivers State in particular, and Nigeria at large.
“I charge you to be exemplary, dedicated and committed in all you do. Take full advantage of all the camp programmes and activities to enrich yourselves”, he said.
In his welcome address, the State Coordinator of NYSC in Rivers State, Mr. Moses Oleghe, urged corps members to see their deployment to Rivers State as a “veritable opportunity to make meaningful contribution to the growth of the State in particular and Nigeria at large.”
He further charged them to serve with all sense of “integrity, discipline, and the fear of God, especially when they will be engaged as INEC ad-hoc staff that will conduct the 2027 general elections.”
A total of 3,584 corps members composed of 1,421 males and 2,163 females were sworn in by the Chief Judge of Rivers State, who was represented by Justice Godspower Aguma.
Governor of Rivers State, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, says Nigeria needs God-fearing leaders for the nation to move in the right direction and make meaningful progress.
The Governor stated this yesterday when he received in audience, the World President of the Seventh Day Adventist Church, Pastor Erton Kohler; his wife, Andriene Marques Kohler; daughter Mariana Marques Kohler and a retinue of ministers of the church at Government House, Port Harcourt.
Fubara who hailed the Seventh Day Adventist Church for its contributions to education and the grooming of future leaders in Nigeria, expressed delight that the Church had over the years, been investing in education at various levels and currently runs two universities in the country.
He commended the church for not only using its institutions to spread the gospel of Christianity but to groom future leaders for the country.
According to him, religion should not be just about defending one’s faith, but also making meaningful impact on the lives of the people.
He said that by floating these educational institutions, the church has demonstrated capacity to support Nigeria in the task of producing not only educated people but a breed of God-fearing leaders.
“Our country is where it is today because we lack the fear of God. If you have the fear of God, there should be a limit to what you can do because you understand the supremacy of God. But when God is not in your equation, you’ll go beyond the line and that is what has brought us to where we are today.
“So, I feel very happy that you are contributing to the development of our future leaders in this country. We need the right people being in the right place; prepared properly with good minds; that is what we need, not just in Nigeria but round the whole world.,” he said.
Governor Fubara further observed that the absence of God-fearing people in high places to take the right decisions that could impact positively on the society, has also given rise to other problems such as social inequality, poverty, corruption and criminality. According to him, Nigeria needs a system where the average parent could afford quality education for their children and a guarantee that upon graduation, the average child will have the capacity to compete favourably with anybody, anywhere in the world.
“If we have a situation where the little money that you’re being paid as wage can also afford you quality healthcare and after working at least for 15-20 years, you have a roof over your head, tell me why you should be involved in any kind of crime? At that point, you’ll feel secured and this attitude of insecurity about the future that leads to all the social vices we have today won’t be there,” he said.
Governor Fubara expressed appreciation to the delegation for the visit and for their prayers for Rivers State, assuring them of his continued support for their programmes in the state.
Leader of the delegation and World President of the Seventh Day Adventist Church, Pastor Erton Kohler said he was in Nigeria for a special conference of the church during which thousands of the church’s ministers will be undergoing an empowerment programme to further equip them for the task of herding their flocks and serving the society.
He expressed gratitude to the Governor for the warm reception accorded his entourage, saying the memory of the visit will linger in his mind for a lifetime.
Kohler disclosed that the Church has over twenty -four million (24,000,000) members and more than 182,000 places of worship, spread across 212 countries of the world.
The Rivers State House of Assembly has approved the 2026–2028 Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) submitted by Governor Siminalayi Fubara.
This reaffirms the lawmakers’ commitment to enacting laws and taking legislative actions geared towards the overall development of the State.
The Assembly gave the approval during its Second Legislative Sitting of the Fourth Session held last Friday.
Speaking on the MTEF document during plenary, the House Speaker, Rt. Hon. Martin Amaewhule, noted that by the provision of Section 10(1)(b) of the Rivers State Fiscal Responsibility Law No. 8 of 2010, the MTEF ought to have been laid before the House in September 2025.
Amaewhule explained that traditionally, the document is expected to be presented four months before the commencement of the next financial year and immediately after the expiration of every three-year fiscal cycle.
He, however, stated that in the interest of the State and its people, the House considered it necessary to deliberate on the document, describing it as a precursor to the 2026 Budget Estimates.
The Speaker expressed concern that the year had already progressed significantly before the presentation of the framework.
During deliberations on the document, members examined the assumptions and projections contained in the MTEF and observed that strict adherence to the outlined fiscal parameters would ultimately serve the interest of Rivers people.
The lawmakers maintained that effective implementation of the framework would promote prudent financial management and enhance developmental planning across the State.
Following the debate and positive consideration by members, the Speaker put the question to the House and members voted overwhelmingly in support of the approval of the MTEF.
Meanwhile, during the same sitting last Friday, the House also received a petition from the Chairman of Obio/Akpor Local Government Council, Dr. Gift Worlu.
The petition was presented by the member representing Obio/Akpor Constituency II, Hon. Emilia Amadi.
According to the petition, concerns were raised over an imminent security breach, threats to lives, destruction of property and alleged forceful takeover of property by some lawless persons within parts of the Local Government Area.
Presenting the petition before the House, Hon. Amadi appealed to the lawmakers to revisit the matter and take necessary steps aimed at safeguarding lives and property in the affected communities.
The House is expected to further deliberate on the petition and consider measures to address the concerns raised in order to sustain peace and security in the area.
King Onunwor