Fuel Scarcity Looms, As NUPENG Threatens Nationwide Strike

By Akinwale Kasali

For close to a week now, some States in the nation have been experiencing scarcity of fuel, with indications that in the coming days, the situation could worsen and spread across most states in the nation.

This is as a result of the threat issued by the Nigerian Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas, NUPENG.

The association has given the  Federal Government a two-week strike notice, raising the possibility of fuel scarcity across the country.

NUPENG said that it was necessary for the welfare of oil workers’ to be attended to, and if their demand is not met by the expiration of the notice, it will embark on a nationwide strike.

A statement issued and signed by NUPENG’s President, Williams Akhoreha, and General Secretary, Olawale Afolabi, stated the position of the Association.

The union reached its decision during a special National Delegates Conference convened last Thursday, where it listed non-payment of workers’ salaries, title benefits, among others, as reasons for its resolution.

The resolution read in part, “We write to convey to the general public and all relevant government agencies the resolution of the special national delegates conference to issue a 14-day notice of a nationwide industrial action if some legitimate welfare and membership related issues that have been variously resolved in our favour even by the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment are not adequately and conclusively addressed and resolved within the next 14 days.  This ultimatum takes effect from Monday, November 15, 2021.”

Outlining some of the issues, the Union said the first one was the outstanding short payment of terminal benefits to its members that were declared redundant in 2012 by the management of Chevron Nigeria limited.

It also accused the Chevron of terminating the employment of contract workers because the employees consented to join the Union.

This, it said, was despite the fact that the workers had put in between 10 to 20 years in continuous employment and that their jobs were terminated without payment of terminal benefits.

“There is also the matter concerning PYRAMIDT workers, who for more than 20 years now are being moved from one labour contractor to another without conditions of service and union representation/recognition,” the union stated.

It added that contract workers working in Oil Mining Lease 42 of the Nigeria Petroleum Development Company, a subsidiary of NNPC, were being continuously owed salaries and allowances for upwards of eight to 10 months.

NUPENG said efforts to make the management of the NPDC and the contractors do the needful on the pitiable plights of the hapless workers had yet to receive any meaningful attention and actions.

It also indicted the Nigeria Agip Oil Company and its contractors for owing contract workers’ salaries and allowances for upwards of 10 months.

NUPENG members control the downstream arm of the oil sector.