Subsidy: ‘Do not use workers as bait’, NUPENG warns oil marketers

….Union will resist sacking of employees
The Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) has isssued a word of caution over the statements attributed to oil marketers regarding the mass retrenchment of workers, if the Federal Government fails to pay the outstanding subsidy owed it on petroleum products’ importation.

The warning was contained in a statement signed by the National President of NUPENG, Comrade Igwe Achese.

According to Achese, the threat to sack the workers should not be used as a bait or weapon to get the government to pay, but apply other sanctions that will compel them to do so.

The statement stressed that the threats issued on the mass sack is uncalled for, unjustified and unethical as the workers have always performed their duties well.

The union warned that workers should not be used as scapegoats or guinea pigs for the government’s ineptitude and nonchalant attitude to pay for products imported on their behalf.

The union, therefore, called on the Federal Government to verify the alleged N720 billion it owes the oil marketers and pay them to avert fuel scarcity and suffering of the masses.

It reiterated that the oil marketers borrowed money to import these products; and as a result, they should fulfill their obligations to them.

It said that the government must develop the political will to do the turn-around-maintenance of the nation’s refineries to make them work optimally; so that the drain on our foreign exchange will be reduced due to massive importation of petroleum products.

The union warned that any attempt to sack workers in the oil marketing firms will be resisted; and will lead to an industrial crisis in the industry.

It advised the government and the oil companies to sort out themselves and not to use the workers as cannon fodder.