Nigeria: Strike by two oil unions threatens economic activities

The strike by Nigerian oil workers under the aegis of the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) and the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) on Wednesday is threatening economic activities nationwide. The protesting union members barricaded the entrance of the headquarters of Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) in Abuja thereby preventing the employees from resuming in their efforts to get its management to attend to their demands.
Specifically, PENGASSAN called for a declaration of emergency in the oil and gas sector and urged the incoming government to do everything possible to address the plethora of issues bedevilling the sector in order to ensure its efficiency.
PENGASSAN’s President, Mr. Francis Johnson said in a statement that there were many issues requiring urgent attention from the incoming government to reposition the industry for efficient and effective delivery of its benefits to Nigerians.
For NUPENG members, the Federal Government should assess more critically how the Nigerian Petroleum Development Company (NPDC) was being managed with a view to ensuring that the guiding laws and rules relating to the operations of the company are subverted.
The Assistant General Secretary of NUPENG, Mr. Adamson Momoh, said that the strike against NPDC, which is an arm of NNPC, would continue until the management sees reasons with the workers.
In Lagos, the effects of the strike started manifesting as long queues, which had abated since Monday, became more pronounced in filling stations as motorists renew their struggles to buy fuel.
The unions had given a notice, which expired last weekend, urging the Federal Government to reverse the transfer of operatorship of the Joint Venture, JV, partnership in OMLs 40 and 42 to Neconde Energy Nigeria Limited and Elcrest Exploration and Production Limited.
A statement from the JV partners said the shut-in has affected all NPDC operated assets in joint venture with indigenous companies that had applied for operatorship, except Neconde, which, prior to the crisis, had been awarded the operatorship of OML 42, and immediately got the Joint Task Force (JTF) to secure the assets.
Elcrest (OML 40), which is next in line to be awarded operatorship, Shoreline OML 30 and FHN/Afren (OML 26) have now been shut as oil evacuation is hampered from OML 34 which relies on the OML 30 pumping station.