NUPENG: Protect workers during planned shutdown ‎of refineries 

The Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) has advised the Federal Government not to jeopardise oil workers’ jobs during the planned shut-down of the nation’s three refineries simultaneously for complete overhaul.

The Union, in a statement signed by its National President, Comrade Igwe Achese, stressed that it will not tolerate such situation, even if the maintenance is for the good of Nigeria.

It believed that the two-unions in the  oil and gas sector, NUPENG and PENGASSAN with other stakeholders, should be taken along in the new arrangement in order to forestall industrial action.  

It stated that the union had all along clamoured for the Turn-Around-Maintenance,TAM, of the nation’s three refineries, but advised that it should be done in such a way that  workers’ jobs are protected.

NUPENG added that the planned closure and TAM should not be used for enriching some cronies because of the astronomical volume of monies that will be involved.  The union, therefore, calls for a monitoring committee to oversee all aspects of the overhaul.

The union warned that it would not tolerate a situation where workers would be used as guinea pigs or eased out under the guise of a complete shut-down of the three refineries.

It stressed that the period should be used to train and re-train the workers to meet the new challenges that would be faced after the overhaul.

It added that the move is a good step in the right direction towards local self- sufficiency in petroleum products by 2019, but must be done in a manner that human capital is protected.