AfriPulse
September 29, (THEWILL) — The Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) on Monday shut down the headquarters of Nigeria’s major oil and gas regulatory agencies in protest against the sack of hundreds of workers at the Dangote Refinery.
Entrances into the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), and the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) were sealed off, leaving staff stranded.
The union accused the refinery of terminating the employment of more than 800 workers who had joined PENGASSAN, describing the move as “an attack on labour rights.” It vowed to sustain its action until the decision is reversed.
The protest immediately impacted electricity supply nationwide. As of 9:00 a.m., the Nigerian Independent System Operator (NISO) reported that only 2,698 megawatts (MW) were transmitted to the 11 distribution companies, far below national demand.
Further data showed that just 14 of the country’s 26 electricity Generation Companies (GenCos) were operational, producing 3,092.41MW.
Despite the shutdown, pump prices of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) remained unchanged as of press time.
The standoff has heightened concerns over fuel supply stability and worsening electricity shortages, further straining Nigeria’s fragile energy sector.
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Source: TheWillNigeria | Read the Full Story…
