Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) has urged President Muhammadu Buhari to, in his second term, work towards ending what it called ‘Nigeria’s continued dependence on imported petroleum products to run its economy despite being a leading producer and exporter of crude oil in the world.
The call was part of the resolutions adopted at the end of the National Executive Council NEC) meeting of NUPENG, weekend, in Lagos, where the oil workers described the practice as ‘shameful and unacceptable’.
The union, in a communiqué, which was read by Williams Akporeha, its president, noted it will to give necessary backing to actions by the government to ensure that Africa’s biggest economy is able to refine locally as opposed to exporting crude and importing finished products.
“NEC-in-session is pleading with President Buhari to use the strength of his second-term in office to end Nigeria’s reliance on imported petroleum products so as to meet local consumption. As a union, we will give the president all necessary supports required from us to put an end to this shame of depending on imported products for local consumption.
“NEC-in-session equally encourages state governments from the oil rich Niger-Delta region to invest in building of oil refineries to cater for domestic, commercial and industrial use by the citizenry.”
Against this background, the union stressed the need for the Federal Government to revive Nigeria’s existing refineries in Warri, Kaduna and Port Harcourt and impress it upon investors granted oil refining licenses to build private refineries. According to the union, until such investors are sanctioned, they will not see the need to start building the refineries.
The union also condemned what it called “gross violation of workers’ right by International Oil Companies (IOCs), citing SHELL Nigeria and its contractors as places where Nigerians working under contracts are being denied their rights.
“It is sad and disheartening to put across to the public the flagrant violation of the rights of contract workers in SHELL Nigeria. SHELL contractors have brazenly refused to implement an agreement they willingly entered into with the workers since November 2018.
SHELL Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) cannot feign ignorance of the inhuman conditions Nigerians are being subjected. We have resolved to take up this fight and we are putting the public on notice,” said the union.
JOSHUA BASSEY
