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Tag: Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers

  • NUPENG pledges seamless fuel distribution

    Ahead tomorrow’s Presidential and National Assembly elections, the National Executive leadership of Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) has assured that there will be free flow of petroleum products across the country.

    In a statement signed by its President, Comrade Williams Akporeha, urged his members across board to remain law-abiding and exercise their civic responsibilities during the conduct of the electoral process.

    “In specific term, the leadership wishes to notify the teeming members who traverse the nooks and crannies of Nigeria in refining and distribution of petroleum products for domestic, commercial and industrial purposes to remain unfettered in discharging their legitimate duties so that the electoral process will be smooth and hitch-free.

    Read also: Ogun APC chief: no ballot papers found in my house

    “NUPENG will not deter in contributing its quota in sustaining and promoting the unity and corporate existence of Nigeria as an indivisible entity; determined to avoid any conduct or behaviour that will endanger the political stability and national security of Nigeria,” the statement read.

  • NUPENG’s ultimatum: NNPC allays fear of fuel scarcity

    The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) has allayed fears of possible hiccups in petroleum products supply in parts of the country.

    The move followed an ultimatum issued by the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) to go on strike over purported intervention by an arm of the security agencies in what the union viewed as purely labour matters involving a company and its workers in Delta State.

    NNPC Group General Manager, Group Public Affairs Division, Mr. Ndu Ughamadu, in a statement yesterday in Abuja, said the corporation’s Group Managing Director, Dr. Maikanti Baru, and his Management team were engaging the parties involved, adding that the parties were close to resolving the issues.

    Ughamadu advised motorists and other consumers of petroleum products not to engage in panic buying as the NNPC management was close to reaching an amicable resolution of the challenge.

    NNPC assured that the corporation had adequate storage of petroleum products across the country, advising that they should not entertain any fear of petroleum shortages.

     

  • Lagos sets up special squad to clear trucks, tankers

    …. appeals to Maritime workers to shelve planned strike

     

    Lagos State Government has set up a joint operation involving security agencies and stakeholders in the maritime sector to clear all containerized trucks and tankers parked along the Oshodi-Apapa Expressway commencing from Friday.

    The operation tagged, ‘Operation Restore Sanity On Lagos Roads,’ was set up on Thursday and the exercise will be carried out from early hours of Friday to Monday.

    In order not to compound the already had situation the government has also appealed to Maritime Union Workers, in the interest of the nation, to shelve their planned strike action and other moves they have so far embarked on which led to the gridlock, while also appealing to Lagos residents to bear with government especially in the event of diversions to ensure removal of the parked trucks and containers.

    The squad consists of 1000 policemen, 500 officials of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA), 100 officers of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), 120 officers of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), and 250 personnel of the Nigerian Military including Army, Air Force and the Navy.

    Apart from providing the equipment to be used for the operation, the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) will also deploy 20 officials, while the relevant unions within the maritime sector such as Amalgamation of Container Truck Owners Association, Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG), National Association of Transport Operators (NATO), Association of Maritime Truck Owners (AMATO), among others will provide hundreds of their members to serve as Task Force to work with security agencies.

    Addressing a press briefing after an emergency meeting on the chaos in Apapa axis as a result of the gridlock, the State’s Commissioner of Police, CP Imohimi Edgal said the decision to set up the operation became imperative owing to the need to restore sanity and prevent complete breakdown of law and order.

    He said though the issues which gave rise to the sorry state of affairs on the federal roads and bridges linking the ports ranges from ports operational problems, activities of tank farms and shipping lines who don’t have holding bays in clear contravention to the law, and diversion as a result of ongoing construction, among others, the State Government nonetheless would not fold it arms and allow the sufferings of the people to continue, a development he said necessitated the operation.

    He said it was gratifying that all stakeholders unanimously agreed that the operation should commence with immediate effect, while the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) and other relevant agencies work to fashion out permanent solution to the issues within the Ports which gave rise to the gridlock.

    According to the CP, “Everybody is aware of the madness going on along the Oshodi-Apapa Expressway that has been completely blocked by trailers and tankers. The same problem we have on our bridges in Western Avenue, Iganmu and Apapa axis.

    “However, it would be irresponsible of us to continue to watch and allow Lagosians go through these period of untold hardship without coming up with strong palliative and security measures and strong joint effort to at least ease the traffic problem and allow for free flow of traffic, while agencies that are responsible for these problems sit together like I hear they are doing currently and fashion out permanent solutions to the problems.

    Read Also: Will trucks, trailers ever leave Apapa?

    “We have held series of meetings betweenThursday and Friday and we have come up immediately with a resolve to immediately start ‘Operation Restore Sanity On Lagos Roads’. This operation which kicks off by early hours of Friday is intended to move trucks and containers from our roads, highways and bridges to designated locations.

    “Thereafter, inventory will be made. The shipping companies themselves will be called to send their representatives to take inventory of these containers and at least have records that the containers have been taken to the designated locations so that they can continue their activities from there,” Edgal said.

    He commended motorists and Lagos residents especially those staying in the Apapa axis for their patience and understanding so far, just as he assured that concerted efforts would be made to free the road between Friday and Monday, while another level of engagement would commence with the NPA, tank farm owners, shipping companies, Shippers Council and other stakeholders to forestall a repeat of the gridlock.

    Also speaking, LASTMA’s General Manager, Mr Olawale Musa assured residents that normalcy and order would soon be restored, saying that the men of the agency had fully been mobilized.

    “Just to tell Lagosians that as a government, we are very responsive and for a situation that is beyond our control and not our doing, we are nonetheless making all efforts to ease the problems of Lagosians.

    “We are on ground and we are going to ensure that sanity is restored on our roads. If the people are suffering, we are also suffering because for me to get to Apapa is a big problem to access the road but with all stakeholders coming together to solve these problems, we assure Lagosians that very soon we are going to restore order,” Musa said.

  • Violence, herdsmen killings threat to foreign investments in Nigeria – NUPENGASSAN

    The two unions in the nation’s oil and gas sector, Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) and the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) have said that the incessant violent killings across the country is threatening direct foreign investments in the country.

    Operating under the auspices of NUPENGASSAN, the unions said it was worried over the lack of self-belief by the citizens, who have literally lost confidence in the political leadership, and are involve in criminal activities that jeopardises the existence of the Nigeria nation as a one and indivisible country.

    Speaking on behalf of the unions, National President of PENGASSAN, Comrade Francis Olabode Johnson said they were deeply disturbed about the incessant violent killings and wanton destruction of lives and properties, especially farm lands as well as threats to the food security base of the country, thereby increasing poverty and hunger in the country.

    They expressed concern that the security challenges in the country are threatening foreign direct investment as many international investors can start to misconstrue Nigeria as an unsafe and dangerous investment destination.

    NUPENGASSAN said “this equally amounts to the losses these crises have caused many of our members and the psychological and economic damage they have suffered over the years.

    “The Council frowns at repeated clashes of similar nature across the country, which obviously is making people become apprehensive because of fear of the unknown.

    Read Also: Herdsmen: Buhari can’t back killers – Kalu

    “The council-in-session of sheer patriotism calls on the Federal Government and the affected state governments to work together, taking immediate steps to reinvigorate and overhaul their security system, strengthen conflict-resolution mechanisms and initiate longer-term efforts to look into familiar problems of insecurity in their domains.

    “As socially responsible stakeholders in the Nigerian project that strongly believes in sanctity of human life, the Council-in-Session therefore appeals to Governments at all levels to jettison cheap politics, hypocrisy and bias. It is high time they empower all our security agencies with the right resources and concentrate more on surveillance, intelligence gathering and intelligence processing with the right technology and equipment.

    “We want the Government to ensure that people get reprieve from the incessant violence and more importantly create lasting solution whereby lives of citizens are protected as required by the constitution.”

    The unions tasked the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) admonish to remain unbiased in the discharge of its statutory responsibilities so that the conduct of the election in the country in 2019 will be credible, transparent, free and fair.

    They also asked all political parties and stakeholders in politics to eschew violence and divisive politics through utterances and actions as well as promote virtues that will entrench strong and united Nigeria where socio-economic fortunes of the country will be maximized and sustained.

    While condemning the increasing high level of unemployment in the country, NUPENGASSAN said “Even where we have employment, the jobs have become more or less slave labour with no hope for career growth and development.

    “In almost all multinational oil companies in Nigeria, there are no more direct permanent jobs for the middle level to lower level cadre, which has now become a bigger challenge of increased violent crimes and suicidal migrations.

    “We demands that the Government should make positive change employment policies and system, especially in the Oil and Gas Industry. The Government should make it mandatory for every oil and gas company in Nigeria to employ not less than 50% of its employees of middle to junior cadre as direct permanent workers to help indigent and less privileged youths to grow, develop and have hope in the nation and for the future.

    They also condemns the increasing impunities and anti labour tendencies of most indigenous and multinational oil companies in the oil and gas industry operating in the country.

    The unions said that “a situation is compounded by the fact that the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment that is supposed to be the watchdog in the areas of compliance with extant labour laws is unfortunately handicapped because of poor understanding of the contract processing and workings in the oil and gas industry.”

  • Anti-labour practices: NUPENG takes oil firms to ILO

    The Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) has dragged some International Oil Companies (IOCs) to the International Labour Organisation (ILO) Committee on Standards over anti-labour practices in Nigeria.

    Speaking at the ILO headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, NUPENG President William Akporeha alleged that the status of NUPENG as a trade union, in terms of membership, financial capacity and ability to adequately organise and represent oil and gas workers, has been adversely affected by repressive anti-labour and union activities of the multinational oil companies.

    He said the struggle against  workers’exploitation was almost three decades old and that nothing had changed.

    ‘’The anti-union activities  include the depletion of its membership, indecent work entrenched resulting into upsurge in crime and social dislocations and defiant behaviours,’’ he said.

    Others, according to him, are refusal to allow the unionisation of contract and service contracts workers, forcing workers to sign agreement not to involve in unionism, among others.

    NUPENG accused Shell of introducing casualisation in Nigeria, which has been inculcated by other oil firms.

    ”Shell alone has close to 2000 contractors with over 20,000 precarious workers from their three subsidiaries of SNEPCo, SPDC and SNG; unfortunately, there is no  staff member of NUPENG in Shell Nigeria.

    “And they have continuously frustrated union activities in their contracting companies, which run their contractual policies, ranging from six to 12 months,” he said.

    He also alleged that Chevron Nigeria Limited in 2012 converted a stable labour contract of six contractors that had the benefits of permanent employment conditions to 15 contractors into precarious working conditions.

    He also alleged that in 2014, Mobil Producing Limited disengaged NUPENG’s members who were contract workers in Lagos and Eket through their contractor.

    He added: “As a result of this a lot of the workers have not been fully paid their terminal benefits, while those on the job are now being threatened not to join the Union as a condition to keep their jobs and moreover Mobil has also refused to employ permanent workers for more than 15 years.”

    NUPENG also reported that NAOC (AGIP) ENI Group is involving itself in the precarious work policies where all its services are handled by third party contractors with very poor working conditions.

  • No going back on January warning strike – NUPENG

    No going back on January warning strike – NUPENG

    The Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) on Monday there is no going back on its planned warning strike scheduled to commence on  January 11.

    Alhaji Tokunbo Korodo, the South-West Zonal Chairman of the union told newsmen in Lagos that the Union had mobilised its members for the strike.

    He said that the union was determined to forge ahead with the planned warning strike, which would take place on from January 11 to January 13.

    “The warning strike notice had been given since the National Executive Council (NEC) meeting that was held in Port Harcourt in December and we picked the second week of January which commences from January 8.

    “As I am speaking to you now, all zones including Lagos have mobilised to ensure the success of the strike as directed by NEC body of NUPENG.

    “We are having another NEC meeting in Abuja on Jan. 10, to appraise the preparation for the planned strike and meet the government officials.

    “It has been the practice of the Nigerian government to wait until the ultimatum day before they start to run from one place to other to find solutions to it.

    “If this warning strike is not properly handled as we have mobilised to ensure the success of our action, nobody should blame the union,” he said.

    Korodo said that if the government had met the NEC of NUPENG before now, the action could have been “nipped in the board’’.

    NAN reports that NUPENG on Dec. 16 gave the Federal Government a notice of a three-day nationwide warning strike from the second week of January 2017.

    The action will be taken over unresolved labour issues with multinationals operating in the oil and gas industry.

    President of the union, Mr Igwe Achese, in a statement, said that the decision was taken at the end of the NUPENG NEC, meeting in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

    He warned that the three-day warning strike was preparatory to a nationwide strike if there was no intervention by the Federal Government.

  • NUPENG rejects sale of NNPC assets

    NUPENG rejects sale of NNPC assets

    The Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers says it will not support the sale of NNPC’s assets without proper consultation with labour unions in the petroleum sector.

    Alhaji Tokunbo Korodo, the South-West Chairman of the union, made the declaration on Tuesday in Lagos.

    The oil workers had on November 13 declared that they would reject any attempt by the Federal Government to sell some of its stakes in the NNPC.

    The Federal Ministry of Petroleum Resources released a draft policy document on the reform of the oil sector on Nov. 10, which proposed the sale of some of its stake in the national oil firm.

    According to Korodo, there is no way the unions will open their eyes and allow these assets to be sold without proper consultation.

    “NUPENG says no to sale of NNPC assets, we are against any sale of the nation’s assets because there is no justification for it.

    “They are planning to sell them to their cronies like they did in power sector.

    “We cannot continue to watch until they sell the whole nation.

    “Labour unions cannot wake up and discover that assets are being put up for sale without consulting them; it will not work.

    “The government needs to resolve labour issues before selling any assets,’’ he said.