The Nation Newspaper

Tag: National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG)

  • NNPC urges NUPENG, PENGASSAN to halt planned strike action

    The Group Managing Director (GMD), NNPC, Dr Maikanti Baru, has urged oil workers to halt their planned strike over a labour dispute involving Chevron Nigeria Limited (CNL) management and the staff.

    The unions are National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) and the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN).

    Baru made the appeal in a statement by NNPC’s Group Public Affairs Manager, Mr. Ndu Ughamadu, in Abuja on Sunday.

    The GMD, Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, said he had directed the management to work with other stakeholders to resolve the issues raised by the leadership of the unions.

    He appealed to the unions not to do anything that would disrupt the industrial harmony that had pervaded the sector.

    The group managing director expressed fears that the gains of the recent past in the sector, if care was not taken, could be frittered away inadvertently.

    He however expressed optimism that the current dispute would be settled amicably.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that the unions had recently called on the National Assembly to intervene in the brewing impasse between CNL and its staff in Nigeria

    The unions further urged the Federal Ministry of Petroleum Resources, the NNPC and the Department of State Services (DSS) to also intervene.

    The disagreements borders on the company’s disclosure that the contracts with all its manpower services providers would expire by the end of October, 2018.

    Consequently, NUPENG and PENGASSAN, last week Wednesday, put their members on red alert.

    Meanwhile, the NNPC has allayed concerns of petroleum product consumers over possible hiccups in supply in parts of the country due to the workers’ ultimatum.

    It gave the assurance that the corporation had adequate storage of petroleum products across the country to take care of the national demand.

  • Strike: NNPC begs oil workers to exercise restrain

    The Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Dr. Maikanti Baru, has urged oil workers under the auspices of the National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) and the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN), to halt their planned industrial action over a labour dispute involving the Management of Chevron Nigeria Limited (CNL), a Multi-national Oil Company operating in Nigeria, and its staff.

    NNPC Group General Manager, Group Public Affairs Division, Mr. Ndu Ughamadu, in a release on Sunday in Abuja, said the corporation’s GMD had directed its Management to work with other stakeholders to resolve the issue raised by the leadership of the Oil Industry unions.  

    The unions had recently called on the National Assembly, the Federal Ministry of Petroleum Resources, the NNPC, the Department of State Services (DSS), to intercede in a brewing impasse between CNL and its staff in Nigeria over the company’s disclosure that the contracts with all its manpower services providers would expire by the end of October 2018.

    The Industry unions last Wednesday put its members on red alert fearing the new manpower services contracts may not serve the interests its members.

    Read Also: NNPC records N17.16b trading surplus

    While thanking the oil workers for their exemplary conduct and show of support through the years, the GMD appealed to the Unions not to do anything that would disrupt the industrial harmony that has pervaded the sector, saying the gains of recent past, if care is not taken, can be frittered away inadvertently.

    Baru expressed optimism that the current dispute would soon be amicably settled.  

    Meanwhile, the NNPC has allayed the concerns of motorists and other consumers of petroleum products over possible hiccups in supply in parts of the country due to the oil workers’ ultimatum, assuring that NNPC holds adequate storage of petroleum products across the country to take care of the national demand.

     

  • Relocate Apapa tank farms- Lagos Assembly

    Relocate Apapa tank farms- Lagos Assembly

    Lagos State House of Assembly Thursday at plenary called on the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation ( NNPC) to relocate the tank farms in Apapa to a less congested area, saying that it is causing traffic logjam and endangering the lives of the residents.

    Hon. Mojisola Miranda, representing Apapa Constituency 1 raised the issue under matter of urgent public importance during plenary, saying that the activities of the trailer drivers in Apapa are not only affecting traffic in the area, but that it has extended to other parts of the state.

    Adding that the traffic jam is making life difficult for workers and school children in the area.

    She urged the Assembly to invite the state’s acting Commissioner for Transport and the Managing Director of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) to brief the House on how they would handle the matter.

    This was supported by the lawmaker representing Apapa Constituency 2, Hon. Olumuyiwa Jimoh.

    Jimoh, who said that he had been having sleepless night on the matter, stressed that the residents of the area have been coming to him on the issue and that it should be resolved once and for all.

    The Speaker, Hon. Mudashiru Obasa, emphasized that the House should not wait until the necessary officials were invited to brief them, but that necessary steps should be taken urgently to handle the situation.

    “It is better we caution the trailer drivers to stop parking on the roads and bridges in the area. We will definitely call on the officials of LASTMA and Lagos State Safety Commission on the matter.

    “We also have to call on the Federal Ministry of Works and Housing to provide alternative roads to motorists, while the roads in Tin Can Island are being repaired,” he said.

    Obasa stated that the tank farms should be relocated from the area because, according to him, they were located in the area before the place became a densely populated area.

    In his comment, Hon. Rotimi Olowo from Shomolu Constituency 1 stated that the activities of the trailer drivers were affecting the economy of the state.

    He said that the House had invited the people in charge of the road in the past and that the National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) was a powerful union and that the House should meet the trailer drivers on the issue.

    Also commenting, Hon. Abiodun Tobun from Epe Constituency 1 wondered why the Federal Government that he said is collecting money in the ports was not doing the necessary things about the roads there.

    Tobun added that the government could get a location close to Tin Can Island Port to park the trailers and that Lagos State should be allowed to control the ports.

    Hon. Rasheed Makinde, in his contribution said that some of the trailers come from the eastern and northern parts of the country and that they disobey the laws of the state.

    These views were supported by other lawmakers, who urged the House to urgently handle the matter.

  • Labour union rejects bill on hate speeches

    Labour union rejects bill on hate speeches

    …Issues two-week ultimatum to Fed Govt

     

    The United Labour Congress (ULC) has rejected a proposed bill seeking to criminalise hate speeches.

    It said the bill’s intention was to prevent any criticism of public office holders when passed into law.

    This was among demands ULC said must be met by the Federal Government within two weeks or it embarks on a nation-wide strike.

    “The proposed Bill at the National Assembly seeking to control free speech couched under the guise of the Bill Against Hate Speech has the real intention of protecting the ruling elite from being held accountable by the citizenry.

    “We, therefore, demand the discontinuance of that obnoxious Bill by whoever sponsored it,” ULC said in a statement by its General Secretary Comrade Didi Adodo.

    ULC, made up of labour groups including the National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG), said it has constituted strike committee after the Federal Government failed to meet its demands.

    “It is a large committee made up of 15-members drawn from some industrial Unions who are affiliates of the ULC,” it said.

    ULC issued a fresh ultimatum to the Federal Government which it said must be met on or before September 8, failing which it shall be forced to embark a nation-wide strike.

    Among the demands is that the Federal Government bans the stationing of the soldiers and policemen in workplaces and factory premises.

    It said the Federal Ministry of Labour should set up a task force immediately to carry out factory inspections as most of the factories are death traps.

    ULC called for the immediate inauguration of the national minimum wage negotiating committee.

    The Labour organisation called for the immediate payment of all the arrears of salaries owed workers at all levels of Government without exception.

    ULC also wants an immediate review of the privatisation of the Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) to save Nigerians the agony of suffering under the suffocating darkness.

    It wants the Federal Government to honour its 2009 agreement with university lecturers so that universities will re-open.

    The statement added: “The roads leading to all the Petroleum refineries and depots nation-wide be repaired to avoid the present carnage of lives, wastage of products and properties on these roads.

    “The withholding of registration certificate of the ULC be stopped and the certificate released forthwith so that the nation’s Industrial Relations clime will be made more inclusive and robust.

    “If these demands are not met within two weeks of this date, the ULC shall embark on Industrial actions to assist your Government respect the interests of workers and the citizenry,” the statement added.

     

  • NUPENG threatens strike in FCT over dispute with AMCON

    NUPENG threatens strike in FCT over dispute with AMCON

    The National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) has threatened to begin a strike in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) over a dispute with Assets Management Company of Nigeria (AMCON).

    Addressing newsmen  in Abuja on Thursday after a National Executive Council meeting, Mr Igwe Achese, NUPENG President, said the strike was inevitable because of three billion naira terminal benefits allegedly owed some sacked oil sector workers.

    Achese said that those affected were former staff of Seawolf Drilling, an oil servicing firm, in Rivers.

    He said the management of AMCOM was being lackadaisical in meeting its obligation of settling the workers.

    Achese said more than 300 workers of the oil firm were disengaged unceremoniously in 2013.

    The retrenchment of the workers followed the company’s indebtedness to a commercial bank to the tune of N25 billion which led to AMCOM taking over the assets and liabilities of Seawolf.

    The workers, who are affiliate members of NUPENG, have  been asking AMCOM to pay their severance package without success, he said.

    Achese said NUPENG had given  two weeks grace to the Federal Government and the Ministry of Labour and Employment to intervene.

    ‘’For the past four years we have been discussing the issue of redundancy and closure of Seawolf, which AMCOM, a federal agency, took over since 2013.

    “It is very unfortunate to state that workers engaged to a company that AMCOM took over; AMCOM has refused to pay them their terminal benefits since 2013.

    “Therefore, the union in a very strong resolution, is requesting the Federal Government to prevail on AMCOM to open doors for dialogue to pay these workers of Seawolf which it took over.

    “Of course, you will agree with me that taking over a company such as the case of AMCOM you are taking both liabilities and assets.

    “As such we have written series of letters to the Ministry of Petroleum, Ministry of Labour and Employment, to the security agencies and all agencies expected to be notified on this issue.

    “We are aware that AMCOM instead of paying these workers and negotiating the terminal benefits of these workers has  decided to take the matter to court and we have been faced with series of adjournments since 2013.

    “We, therefore, have no choice as a union but to write an open letter to Mr President and the acting president to take all necessary steps to address the issues of Seawolf and that of Chevron, ”he said.

    Achese said the union had notified the Federal Government in a letter that if it failed to address the issues after two weeks, it would call out its members to withdraw their services in the FCT.

    Achese said that it had also directed its members across the country to, in solidarity with the struggle, dress in  red and hoist green leaves on their vehicles for the next two weeks.

    On restructuring, he said that the campaign for restructuring the country had  become necessary.

    Achese said that the restructuring must take the form of fiscal federalism such that component states or regions might  control their own resources.

    “On our part as a union, we canvass for true federalism to be adopted in the country, each state or region should be allowed to control their resources through fiscal federalism.

    “This approach, we believe, will reduce the current agitations just the way the regions of old controlled their local resources which made room for healthy competition and development.”

  • Marketers condemn Fayose’s threat to demolish more filling stations

    Marketers condemn Fayose’s threat to demolish more filling stations

    Petrol marketers in Ekiti State have condemned a threat by Governor Ayo Fayose to demolish more petrol stations in the wake of withdrawal of fuel supply by national secretariats of Petrol Tanker Drivers (PTD) and National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG).

    Spokesman of the state chapter of Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN), Ademola Ajayi, said the alleged mobilization of thugs to attack some filling stations in Ado-Ekiti last week was a bad signal to investors wishing to do business in the state.

    Ajayi who spoke in an interview programme on ADABA 88.9 FM monitored in Ado-Ekiti accused Fayose of ruining businesses with what he called “draconian policies” saying the threat to demolish more filling stations would complicate the crisis on ground.

    The fuel scarcity which was sparked by Fayose’s face-off with local marketers and national unions of associations in the downstream sector has reached the third week.

    He said the threat allegedly issued by Fayose while appearing on a programme on the Africa Independent Television (AIT) was an indication that he (Fayose) has declared war on the marketers and wanted the crisis to drag.

    Ajayi disclosed that Fayose filed a court action against the unions shortly after holding a peace meeting with them wondering why the governor would take them to court after inviting them to a meeting.

    The IPMAN official revealed that  Fayose imposed a levy of N10,000 on each filling station for a training on how to handle emergencies saying: “since we paid N10,000 per station, no training has been held and we have about N3,000 petrol stations and the money has not been refunded.”

    Ajayi said: “The governor went to Abuja and filed a suit in the court against us and other bodies he invited to a peace meeting. He was the one that called them and he was the one that sued them. They were shocked that he could take them to court and they said they won’t allow their trucks to go to Ekiti because they could be set on fire.

    “We are in the process of resolving the crisis, is the court the next place to go? The governor fights everybody; fights pepper sellers, fights palm oil sellers, fights private school owners and tipper owners. Must you fight everybody?

    “Are we supposed to be friends or enemies? If the governor has conscience, his conscience will be telling him that what he did was wrong. Part of the problem is that the governor is demanding payment of other fees.

    “Our business partners said they can’t risk their lives of their drivers to come to Ekiti because of the attitude of the governor. It was the governor that unleashed thugs on our filling stations and he had said this a day earlier when he appeared on a radio programme.

    “He said that some thugs wanted to come out and the thugs came out the following day and there was nothing the Police and DSS could do. We learnt that the thugs who did the job were given N1, 000 each while others were given N5, 000.

    “The matter on ground is beyond us, let the governor listen to our national unions in Abuja and withdraw the case from the court. What sort of despotic behaviour is that threatening to demolish more filling stations?

    “For you to bring a bulldozer to my station and say you want to demolish it? Do you want to render many people jobless, turn them to okada riders and thugs to be given N1, 000 each?

    “We want the people of Ekiti State and other Nigerians to beg the governor. He should create an enabling environment for businesses to thrive and not to destroy people’s businesses. People should appeal to him to stop what he is doing because he is the first person to be elected governor in our state. In a related development, the National Chairman of PTD, Otunba Saliman Oladiti, said the crisis could be resolved if Fayose is sincere to dialogue with all stakeholders involved.”

    Oladiti who spoke in a phone-in programme on Radio Nigeria Progress 100.5 FM monitored by our reporter said it was wrong for Fayose to order the marketers to relocate their stations after government have them valid approvals.

    He said: “Unless the government has a sincere dialogue with the unions, there would not be timely resolution of the fuel crisis in Ekiti. The owners of the stations being asked to relocate has C of Os and other papers.”

    Meanwhile, the Chairman of Ekiti State Petroleum Task Force, Elder Adeyemi Adebayo, alleged that the marketers are colluding with outside forces to unleash hardship on Ekiti people saying the governor is
    resolved to sanitize the system once and for all.

    Adebayo said: “When I spoke to the chairman of the tanker drivers in Ekiti, he explained that the directive to prevent petroleum tankers from coming to the state was from the national body of the oil marketers.

    “My advice to the oil marketers is to heed to the directive given by the governor and start to sell the fuel, because the governor is the overall head in Ekiti. He takes the final decision on any issues about the state and his decision overrides anyone outside the state.

    “I also want to advise the national body of oil marketers in Nigeria who have been said to be the brain behind the fuel crisis in Ekiti, to urgently release all the petrol tankers which they withdrew, so that they don’t make the people of Ekiti to suffer.”

  • Association wants FG to prevent future strike in oil sector

    The Association of Licensed Independent Petroleum Marketers in Nasarawa state, has urged the Federal Government to take measures to prevent future strike in the sector.

    Alhaji Abubakar Sandaji, the Chairman of the association, made the appeal in an interview with News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lafia on Wednesday.

    The association is the official subsidiary of Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) in the state.

    He called on the Federal Government to work harder to satisfy all stakeholders so that strikes would be a thing of the past in the sector.

    He said that the strike by the Petroleum Tankers Drivers (PTD), an arm of National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) which began on April 2 and suspended on April 3, was unnecessary and detrimental to the progress of the sector.

    Sandaji added that the suspended strike was also not in the best interest of Nigerians, hence the need for the Federal Government and relevant stakeholders to checkmate it and do everything possible to prevent its future recurrence.

    “We don’t want this kind of strike again. The country is experiencing recession and if all kinds of strikes are allowed, it will create untold hardship. This is economic sabotage. Our government has no hand in it.

    “They wanted to paralyse the country’s economy just to achieve their goal. In fact, we IPMAN members in the state had resolved not to join the strike if it had continued but thank God it was called off in time,” he said.

    Sandaji appealed to the Federal Government to find a way of amending some labour laws that could sabotage the nation’s economy.

    According to him, the recently suspended strike will have affected the economy adversely if allowed.

    Sandaji also canvassed for a sustainable and reliable strategy to end fuel scarcity in the country permanently, especially when unions in the sector embark on strike.

    “The Federal Government needs to sit down with everybody involved in the oil sector and put heads together on how to ensure the availability of petroleum products no matter the situation,” he said.