AfriPulse
The Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) launched a nationwide strike on Monday, effectively shutting down operations at the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), and the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA).
The action, which began at 12:01 a.m., has raised alarms over potential fuel shortages and power disruptions across the country.
The strike, announced late Sunday, stems from PENGASSAN’s outrage over the alleged wrongful dismissal of approximately 800 workers at the Dangote Petroleum Refinery and Petrochemicals.
In a strongly worded resolution signed by General Secretary Lumumba Okugbawa, the union accused the refinery of violating Nigerian labor laws, the country’s Constitution, and International Labour Organisation (ILO) conventions by terminating employees solely for joining the association.
“This is an assault on workers’ rights and a blatant disregard for established labor principles,” Okugbawa stated in the circular.As a direct consequence, PENGASSAN has instructed all members to cease services immediately, including halting all processes involving gas and crude oil supplies to the Dangote Refinery.
Field workers were ordered to down tools as early as Sunday, with many holding round-the-clock prayer vigils in solidarity.
Eyewitness accounts from Abuja paint a picture of total compliance. At the NUPRC headquarters, the main gate remained firmly locked, stranding scores of employees outside while security operatives enforced the closure.
Similar scenes unfolded at the NMDPRA’s office in the Central Business District, where activities ground to a complete halt.
The NUPRC spokesperson, Mr. Eniola Akinkuotu confirmed to journalists that the association stopped the staff from entering the office.
“They didn’t allow us to enter today,” he said.
Meanwhile, the shutdown of gas supply must have culminated in the supply of electricity to the 11 distribution companies.
At 9:00 am, the Nigerian Independent System Operator (NISO) only sent 2,698MW to the 11 energy distributors.
Similarly, only 14 out of the 26 electricity Generation Companies (GenCos) were in operation at the period under review. The 14 GenCos produced 3,092.41MW.
The Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) pump prices remained unchanged at the time of filing this report.
Tony Iziogba, PENGASSAN Chairman at NMDPRA, confirmed to journalists that the union achieved “100 percent compliance” across all targeted institutions, including the NNPCL.
“Both staff and visitors have been denied entry, and the same level of enforcement is in place at NNPC and other agencies,” Iziogba said.
PENGASSAN has vowed to maintain the strike until their demands are met, including the immediate reinstatement of the sacked workers and recognition of the union at the refinery.
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Source: NigerianEye | Read the Full Story…
