The Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) has said there was no going back on its planned strike.
The National President of PENGASSAN, Mr Francis Johnson, made this assertion today when he appeared as a guest on Television Continental (TVC) Breakfast programme in Lagos.
Johnson said the issues had been pending for so long and that the government had not shown enough seriousness over the matters.
He said the matter has been on since March 15, this year but government was not ready to dialogue with the union. He stressed that the union does not have an option than to go on with the strike as planned since it was obvious that government was not ready to dialogue with it.
According to him, government was trying to apply fire brigade approach to a serious matter. He said: “We have discussed this matter long enough for the government to address us, but it closed its ears.
“We are ready to work with Mr. President to succeed, but other agencies involved in the discussion were not showing serious concern over the matter and we don’t have any choice than to proceed on strike.”
According to him, the inability of the Federal Government to honour its agreements contained in May 12, 2016 communiqué was the reason for calling for the strike.
Johnson revealed that some of the issues included lingering irregular Joint Venture Funding and Cash Call Payment arrears and lack of a clear cut direction on the Petroleum Industry Bill.
Others are forceful co-option of government agencies into the Integrated Personnel Payroll Information System and the spate of redundancy and retrenchment in the industry.
The PENGASSAN president said several efforts to engage the government to forestall the strike were frustrated adding that before now, the union tried to engage the government on May 24, 2016, which was inconclusive.
He added that the engagement was later fixed for June 23, 2016, which did not take place, and again the one scheduled for June 30, 2016 was unceremoniously cancelled with no date given.
“We see this as a deliberate attempt by the government to frustrate the discussion of the myriad of issues raised in the communiqué, which are critical to the survival of the oil and gas industry in the country.
“Among the burning issues raised is that of the Joint Venture Funding/Cash Call arrears, which has stalled new investments and the creation of jobs, and which has consequently brought about massive job losses.
“We have equally noted with great dismay that our tertiary institutions keep churning out graduates with no or very limited job placement opportunities.
“Even for those that are fortunate to have jobs, it has been a tug-of-war getting their salaries paid as when due and are faced with redundancies on a regular basis, especially in the service sector.
“We cannot fold our hands and watch this gradual collapse of our strategic oil and gas industry and its attendant consequences on the nation’s economy.
“This is a sharp contrast to the present government avowed promised to create and retain jobs.”
PENGASSAN had ordered its members to leave their duty posts in all oil installations and offices throughout Nigeria as from 12.01am yesterday and this has been heeded by all members.
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