Oil workers suspend strike, resume negotiation on Wednesday

The leadership of National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) on Monday evening directed all members of its affiliates union, Petroleum Tanker Drivers (PTD) to resume lifting and distribution of petroleum products across the country as from 12am on Tuesday, 4th April, 2017.

Igwe Achese, NUPENG President issued the directive after the end of the tripartite meeting held with management teams of Federal Ministry of Petroleum Resources and Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) held in Abuja.

The peace meeting was conveyed to address issues bothering on: poor salaries, poor state of
Nigerian roads, poor sleeping quarters for drivers and insecurity on the highways, and renewal of expired collective agreement with National Road Transport Owners (NARTO) raised by the oil workers during the central working committee’s meeting held last week Friday.

Achese in a chat with BusinessDay disclosed that consultation will resume with various stakeholders on Tuesday while negotiation on various issues will kick-start on Wednesday.

“Yes we have resolved to suspend the action and resume negotiation. Our workers are going to resume work tomorrow.

“We are starting the consultation on Tuesday and resume negotiation on Wednesday,” Achese said after the meeting.

Prior to the meeting, Francis Ezenwa, chairman, House Committee on Labour and Emoloyment had called on relevant government agencies to step up action in averting the nationwide strike actiin.

BusinessDay gathered that the Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige was not part of the tripartite meeting held at the NNPC Towers, Abuja which started about 3pm and ended at about 7pm.

Our Correspondent observed that queues have returned to some number of filling stations across Abuja metropolis and neighbouring towns, as motorists embarked on panic buying as a means of preparedness for the industrial action.

Ezenwa in a telephone chat with Legislative Correspondents, explained that the lingering crisis over the sack of about 2,000 workers is being handled at inter-Ministerial Committee level.

“There are some germane issues they talked about. The state of roads which directly affect them. Also they talked about the issue of Capital Oil close to sack about 2,000 workers.

“Those are the issues that should be quickly addressed.
Sacking about 2,000 workers would affect the economy,” he stressed.

When asked about the step taken by the House to avert the strike, Ezenwa explained that the Parliament is monitoring the situation, addi g that the House is advising the Executive to dialogue with the leadership of all the unions involved in the industrial action

“Anything that affects Nigerian people is something that is pertinent. I will also intervene but for now the issue is being handled at the ministerial level. Once we see that there’s no resolution, we will come in,” Ezenwa told newsmen.