The Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) has backed down on its planned industrial action to protest against its disagreement with Chevron Nigeria Limited, a major player in the upstream sector of the nation’s oil and gas industry.
The suspension of the planned strike followed the intervention of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) led by its Group Managing Director (GMD) and other stakeholders to avert disruption of operations in the sector.
Williams Akporeha, president of NUPENG and Afolabi Olawale, the general secretary of the union, who confirmed the development on Friday afternoon, said following a series of peace meetings brokered by the NNPC, progress was being made between the parties to resolve their disagreement.
Afolabi had told BusinessDay on Thursday that a meeting on Friday would determine whether or not the union would proceed with the action.
“This is to inform the rank and file members of our union and the general public that following the intervention of Mele Kyari, the GMD of NNPC, and his management team to avert the proposed industrial action of NUPENG over the blatant breach of agreement reached with the union by Chevron Nigeria and its contractor and considering the fact that appreciable progress is being made as discussions continue, that the union hereby suspends with immediate effect the planned industrial action slated for next week,” the union said in a statement on Friday (today).
The union further said “It should be put on records that this abrupt suspension became inevitable due largely to the timely intervention NNPC having engaged NUPENG and all concerned stakeholders at two separate meetings on Thursday, August 1 and Friday, August 2, 2019, to correct the anomalies and ensure that the agreement was respected.
The union directed all members to step down the “Red Alert message and continue rendering their normal and lawful services while members of the general public are also urged to avoid any panic action/measure. It also assured that normal supply and distribution of petroleum products across the country.
It explained, however, that talks were still ongoing between NUPENG and all affected stakeholders to amicably resolve the matter putting into consideration the collateral economic damage the industrial unrest could possibly lead to in the country if not immediately nipped in the bud.
NUPENG had accused Chevron of violating terms of agreement bordering on the sack of workers, reached between both parties to which the NNPC and the federal ministry of labour were a party, and therefore put the nation on alert for a possible industrial action that would have resulted in fuel scarcity nationwide.
JOSHUA BASSEY
