Strike: Ngige, Kachikwu to meet with PENGASSAN
Minister of Labour and Employment, Sen. Chris Ngige, is to meet with representatives of the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) on Thursday, a statement issued on Wednesday in Abuja said.
The statement, signed by Mr. Samuel Olowookere, the Deputy Director (Press) in the ministry, said that the “crucial meeting’’ was being convened to find a lasting solution to the lingering problems in the oil and gas sector.
It said that the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Dr. Ibe Kachikwu, would also participate in in the dialogue scheduled for 10 a.m. in Abuja.
Recall that PENGASSAN has threatened to embark on a nationwide strike beginning from Thursday (today) over some issues, including the alleged mass sack of its members by various oil and gas companies.
Meanwhile, members of PENGASSAN in Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR), Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency (PPPRA), has signified their plans to also join the strike.
In a press statement signed by the National Public Relation Officer, PENGASSAN, Comrade Emmanuel Ojugbana, members on Tuesday, met in all the zones to fine-tune the strategies and modalities for the strike.
He said: “In the meeting, the gradual method of shutdown was critical examined and adopted by the members.
“The action, which will cripple all activities and operations in the oil and gas sector, will affect all the sub sectors as our members in the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR), Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency (PPPRA), Petroleum Equalisation Fund (Monitoring Board) PEF (MB), Pipelines and Products Marketing Company (PPMC), National Petroleum Investment Management Services (NAPIMS), oil majors, labour and contract services companies, and petroleum products marketing companies will join in the action”.
He appealed for understanding of all Nigerians and operators that will be impacted by the action, saying that the industrial action is critical to the survival of the oil and gas industry, which according to him, currently is the mainstay of the nation’s economy.
