Sequel to President Muhammadu Buhari’s inability to prevail on the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria, PENGASSAN, to discontinue its planned strike, another round of fuel queues have resurfaced in the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, and it environs.
It could be recalled, that the Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige, had earlier scheduled Thursday, July 7, to meet with the union, which was cancelled and later fixed for Friday, due to the Federal Government’s extension of the public holidays.
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With PENGASSAN shunning Friday’s meeting, maintaining that it was not convenient for them, the planned strike was fully implemented, with all it’s affiliate members, shutting down operations.
Post-Nigeria gathered that, due to the abrupt shut down of operations, another massive round of fuel scarcity has resurfaced in some filling stations in the capital city.
According to economic experts, if something drastic is not done to dialogue and resolve the crisis in the coming days, the nation might be totally brought to its kneels, as major filling stations might run out of stock, or decide to hoard the product.
The Unions had earlier listed some issues for embarking on the planned strike action, which include; lingering Joint Venture funding and Cash call payment arrears, lack of clear cut direction on the Petroleum Industry Bill, PIB, forceful Co-Option of government agencies in the industry into the Integral Personnel Payroll Information System, IPPIS, and spate of redundancy and retrenchment in the industry.
Ngige, had in several statements, pleaded with the unions to shelve the planned strike. He said, “Strike neither solves industrial disputes, nor contributes to industrial growth.
“Our economy is already reeling from severe hemorrhage, occasioned by decade-long mismanagement.
“Further action, which stunts the efforts currently being made to reverse the trend, should therefore be shunned.
“A situation where oil workers leave their offices and oil loading base, will not make for an increase in oil export or assist to make available enough petroleum products in this time of deregulation.
“This will only compound the vandalisation in the Niger Delta, occasioning low output and export in our OPEC quota, apart from the unwarranted hardship on the populace”.
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He however, urged PENGASSAN, to urgently call off the strike, so that all sides will freely negotiate.
“I am very optimistic that when we sit for negotiation on Monday, July 11, issues that have led to the situation on the ground will be resolved in the greater interest of the nation,” Ngige said.
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