PASS REMAINING PARTS OF PIB – NUPENG

The Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) is worried about the delay in the passage of the remaining parts of the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) and calls on the National Assembly to quickly pass it without further delay.

The Union stated that the delay in passing the three other components of the bill, namely; the fiscal framework host communities issues, the Petroleum Industry Administration bill gives cause for concern.

It is added that the nation has lost billions of naira in foreign investment which would have come into the oil and gas industry but for the uncertainties and prolonged delay in the passage of the bill into law.

NUPENG believes that the passage of the PIB will go a long way to ensure transparency and honesty in the oil and gas industry.

It went on to say that the passage of the remaining three components will restore investors’ confidence and generate employment opportunities, direct and indirect and reduce the tension in the Niger Delta.

The Union wants the National Assembly to treat all labour related issues that may arise as a result of the unbundling in good stead in order to save the nation from unnecessary industrial crisis.

COMRADE WILLIAMS AKPOREHA

National President

NUPENG APPOINTS COMRADE ADAMU SONG AS GENERAL SECRETARY

The Nigeria Union of Petroleum & Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) has appointed Comrade Adamu Song as its new General Secretary, following the retirement of Comrade Joseph Ogbebor, the erstwhile General Secretary.

Comrade Adamu Song is a seasoned labour technocrat who until now was the former Deputy General Secretary (Operations and Administration). He was also a former Senior Assistant General Secretary in-charge of Kaduna Zone before he was moved to Lagos five years ago. He will bring his wealth of experience to bear in moving the union to the next level.

The former General Secretary, Comrade Joseph Ogbebor retired after 31 years of meritorious service to the union.

Also, Comrade Afolabi Olawale was appointed Deputy General Secretary (Operations). He was until now, Senior Assistant General Secretary/Head of Warri zone. Other appointments are Comrades Anthony Chukwu, Otite Precious Onohwohwo, Adamson Momoh, Christopher Akpede were promoted to the position of principal Assistant General Secretaries.

Adamson Momoh

PAGS (Research & Public Affairs)

NIGERIA’S INDUSTRIAL SECTOR IS TOO WEAK TO PARTICIPATE IN THE CONTINENTAL FREE TRADE AREA (CFTA)

The attention of the United Labour Congress of Nigeria has been drawn to the forward and backward movement by Nigeria in its effort to either join the CFTA or abandon it. ULC commends the President for putting a halt to its hurried signing and we berate the aides who wanted to rail road Nigeria into this very agreement that would have finally become the death knell of the fragile industrial sector.

Nigeria is not only an importer nation but also an economy with weak infrastructural base thereby increasing the cost of the products produced in Nigeria.

If signed, the CFTA will only encourage industrialized countries to use other African Nations to push their products to the Nigerian market thereby killing locally produced goods.

Also, we are shocked when at a time when other counties of the world including America are resorting to protectionism in defence of their local manufacturers, ours is trying to open the economy to be finally killed. We reject it in its entirety.

DIDI ADODO

GENERAL SECRETARY ULC

NO CRISIS IN NUPENG

The Nigeria Union of Petroleum & Natural Gas workers (NUPENG) has debunked alleged insinuations of tenure elongation of its National Executive Council as reported in some national dailies.

The Union states that there is no iota of truth in it, as the union is working assiduously to conduct its National Delegates Conference in March, 2018.

NUPENG stresses that at the last Central Working Committee (CWC), National Executive Council (NEC) meetings in December 3 & 4, respectively in 2017, there was nothing like a heated debate but a vote of confidence passed on the leadership. It was at that meeting an extension of 90 days was ratified by the NEC to prepare for a smooth transition.

The Union reiterates that the utterances from the Petroleum Tanker Drivers Branch of NUPENG is a family issue which is normal in labour parlance and in every facets of our society and was due to a breakdown in communication which is been addressed.

NUPENG assures that there is no crack, no division, no crisis of any kind in the Union as we remain strong, united and resolute.

The issue of the global oil glut, insecurity has adversely affected the Union in depletion of membership strength thus affected our finances and organizing a National Delegates Conference is therefore not a tea party.

However, the Union states that the various Committees, Logistics, Accreditation and Resolutions are working round the clock to give the Union members a befitting election.

NUPENG also want to put it on record that the President, Comrade (Dr.) Igwe Achese has at various fora, that is the NAC, CWC, NEC and the Veterans Forum stated that election will be held in March, 2018.

The Union said that an Emergency National Executive Council (NEC) meeting of the Union comes up on Tuesday, March 13, 2018 to fine-tune the progress made so far with a view to getting a consensus date.

Joseph Ogbebor

General Secretary

NUPENG Decries Suffering of Nigerians

The Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) has decried the current suffering and pains of Nigerians as a result of the persistent and unjustified fuel scarcity.

The Union frowned at the incessant fuel scarcity which has resulted to long queues, loss of man-hours and endless search for products.

NUPENG stated that the scarcity has further worsened the sufferings of its citizens through increase in transport fares, rising pricing of goods and services as we approach the Christmas festivities.

It called on the government to quickly address the situation instead of trading blames when the depots are dry.

The Union stated that it was a national shame and embarrassment for the citizens to celebrate the Christmas under this kind of atmosphere when Nigeria is the seventh largest producer of crude oil.

NUPENG reiterated the need for the federal government; Federal Ministry of Petroleum Resources and the NNPC to tell the nation what is actually happening, as the two labour unions in the sector are not on strike.

It therefore called on the Federal government to implore the appropriate bodies to flood the nation with petroleum products as we enter the year 2018 as stop gap measure.

In the long run, it stressed that; the nation’s four refineries must be revamped to reduce the pressure on foreign exchange for importation of petroleum products from abroad.

Comrade (Dr.) Igwe Achese NUPENG President

FROM: General Secretary
To: All Zonal Chairmen/Secretaries/SAGS/SOS

Dear Comrades,

NUPENG NOT ON STRIKE

The leadership of our great Union in recent times have been inundated with calls by members and non-members on the recent fuel queues experienced in the country to know if NUPENG is on strike.

Let me use this medium to inform our rank and file that the Union is not on strike and that our members should go about their normal duties. We re-iterate that our members in the Petroleum Tanker Drivers Branch of NUPENG are working and loading petroleum products from the Depots to the nooks and crannies of the country.

Let me also use this opportunity to tell our members that NUPENG is not part of the PENGASSAN nation-wide strike and as a result should go about their normal business.

You are therefore instructed by this information to pass the message across to all our members in the Units, Branches and Zones that NUPENG is not on strike.

Fraternally yours,

Joseph Ogbebor

General Secretary
cc: President – NUPENG

17/12/2017

COMMUNIQUÉ ISSUED AT THE END OF THE NATIONAL EXECUTIVE

COUNCIL (NEC) MEETING OF NIGERIA UNION OF PETROLEUM AND NATURAL GAS WORKERS (NUPENG) HELD IN PORT HARCOURT ON DECEMBER, 2, 2017

In line with the constitutional provisions of the union, the National Executive Council meeting (NEC) of NUPENG was convened and duly met on the 2nd day of December, 2017 in Port Harcourt to discuss, debate and deliberate on topical issues of national and industry concerns in the Oil and Gas Industry in particular and the nation at large.

Several issues were raised, thoroughly discussed, debated and deliberated upon by the house.

After very detailed and exhaustive deliberation on all the issues raised during the meeting, the National Executive Council meeting resolves and adopted the following resolutions.

 INDUSTRY/ INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS ISSUES

1. REDUNDANCIES AND CLOSURES

The increasing loss of jobs and high level of union membership depletion in the industry was one of the major issues discussed and deliberated upon at the meeting, with the NEC-in-session attributing the worrisome situation to unprecedented spate of redundancies and closures of oil firms in the country.

The house finds the situation baffling and confounding bearing in mind the increases in the prices of crude oil and relative peace in the oil producing communities which ought to translate to increasing oil production activities in the industry.

It was noted, that the causes of these company closures and redundancies with its attendant job losses are much more that poor global oil market as

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We therefore call on the federal government to quickly set up intervention machinery to address the ugly and undesirable trend with a view of saving jobs and reduce poverty in the land.

2. THE MENACE OF CONTRACT STAFFING/CASUALISATION

The Council also deliberated extensively on the increasing and continuing usage of skilled and competent Nigerians as modern day slaves in their country under the unscrupulous guise of contract staffing.

The meeting noted with serious concern, that the adoption of contract staffing as a method of employment engagement with its attendant abuses without any apparent institutional guidelines and control has generally entrenched workers’ rights abuses and inhumane treatment of Nigerian workers by both Multinational oil corporations and indigenous oil companies.

The NEC-in- Session calls on the National Assembly, the Executive arm of Government and other relevant bodies to urgently intervene and rescue oil and gas workers from the exploitative and abuses hands of the employers in the industry.

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3. THE PETROLEUM INDUSTRY BILL (PIB)

The Council-in-session critically reviewed status of Petroleum Industry Bill before the national assembly and expressed its pleasure on the seriousness the current house of Senate is attaching to passage of the different components of the bill and further applauded the house for the passage of the Petroleum Industry Governance Bill and plan to pass the entire PIB by 2018.

The meeting-in- session, further called on the House of Representatives to expedite actions on the bill as well so as to avoid unnecessary delay in the harmonization of the bill by the two houses of national assembly and subsequently pass it into law early next year.

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The NEC –in- Session reiterates the firm belief in the fact the bill when passed into law will engender the much desired transparency and accountability in the Nigeria Oil and Gas Industry for the guaranteed confidence in the sector by both foreign and indigenous investors.

4. TURN AROUND MAINTENANCE (TAM) AND THE REFINERIES

The Council-in-session examined the status of the Country’s Refineries with regards to their functionally and efficiency vis a vis the ongoing Turn- Around-Maintenance for Warri and Kaduna refineries. The meeting-in- session commended government stance to activate the refineries but warned that it should not lead to job losses.

The house-in-session further commended the efforts of the management of N.N.P.C to rehabilitate and recommissioned all the N.N.P.C/P.P.M.C strategic depots across the country. The initiative is seen as both employment generating and income yielding ventures that is well laced with patriotic and nationalistic zeal.

The NEC-in- Session further reiterated its opposition against any attempt to put the refineries or the strategic depots for sale as they are national assets that should be rehabilitated and preserved to reduce the massive importation of petroleum products and boost economic activities the local communities they are located and the nation in general.

5. MODULAR REFINERIES

On the issue of the modular refineries, the NEC-in-session noted the economic impacts of the initiative but observed that the plan of the government to establish modular refineries is misdirected and should be jettisoned.

The NEC-in-session advised that the role of government is to provide legal and institutional framework for the operations of modular refineries to enable the operators of illegal refineries operate within the acceptable legal, financial and environmental guidelines.

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The meeting –in-session therefore called on the Federal Government to create platform of engagement with the operators of so called illegal refineries for the purposes of training, guiding and supporting them for meaningful and responsible adoption of modular refineries in the Niger- Delta which will go a long way in curbing the scourge of environmental degradation, pollution and criminal activities.

6. UNRESOLVED LABOUR ISSUES

The NEC-in-session examined long list of unresolved labour issues involving Seawolf Drilling Company, Chevron and their labour Contractors, Tecon Oil Services, Universal Energy Limited, Agip, Exxon Mobil, Shell, Specialty Drilling and Fugro Nigeria, Nigeria Agip Oil Company, Forte oil, Oando, MRS, Conoil, NIPCO and other private depots.

These issues range from non-payment of terminal benefits, short payment of terminal benefits, implementation/ refusal to renew CBA, arbitrary declaration of redundancies, refusal to unionization, victimization of workers due to union activities etc.

The Council –in-session called on the Federal Government and all relevant agencies to urgently intervene in order to avoid the brewing industrial relations crisis in the oil and gas industry.

7. ROADS

The NEC-in-session carefully examined the state of Nigerian roads and commended the efforts of the federal government in rehabilitating and repairing some of the failed sections of the federal highways.

The house noted that the road infrastructure in Nigeria had suffered several years of neglect which makes the current efforts difficult to be immediately appreciated.

The meeting-in-session therefore called on the Federal Government to ensure strict adherence to the advertised budgetary plans and allocations for the repairs and rehabilitations of the highways.

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 NATIONAL ISSUES

8. INSECURITY

The Council –in – Session was deeply worried with the reported upsurge in the cases of suicide bombings, kidnappings, ritual killings, communal clashes, herdsmen menace and armed robbery across the country.

The meeting-in-session noted that the state of insecurity is a disincentive to investors, national unity and economic development and should therefore be immediately addressed through adequate use of modern intelligence gathering and technological security infrastructure.

The NEC-in-Session further expressed serious concerns over the obvious unhealthy rivalry among the various arms of security agencies in the country as evident in series of missteps on issues of national security and fight against corruption.

The Council-in-session strongly called on President Mohammadu Buhari to immediately overhaul the entire national security apparatus for efficiency and cohesiveness to avoid a state anarchy.

9. POWER

The Council-in-session examined the state of power supply in the country and expressed deep worries over the continued unstable supply of electricity to most living and industrial areas in the country.

The meeting –in-session stressed the importance of stable power supply to the industrialization of the nation and development/ sustenance of small and medium scale businesses.

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10. POVERTY/ UNEMPLOYMENT

The current level of poverty, hunger and high rate of unemployment/ disguised employment in the country was of serious concern to the NEC-in- Council. It was extensively deliberated upon and all the levels of government in Nigeria were called upon to urgently address the ugly and

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unwholesome situation by opening up the economy, establish cottage industries, help small/medium scale businesses, embark on massive agricultural projects, and ease the processes of business set up through access to loans at reasonable rates and tax holidays.

11. CORRUPTION

The NEC-in- Council noted with deep worries the emerging stories of apparent disjointed, uncoordinated and blurred war against corruption by the current administration. The police pension scam is a clear case of corruption within the war against corruption, it stinks to high heavens.

While the Council –in-session commended some of the initiatives of the Government in the fight against corruption, such as the whistle blow policy, we advised President Mohammadu Buhari to urgently overhaul his anti corruption machinery so as to uproot the entrenched syndicate of corrupt politicians and Civil Servants militating against his avowed campaign against corruption.

12. RESTRUCTURING/TRUE FEDERALISM

The Council-in –session took a careful and patriotic look at continuing calls for restructuring and federalism from different sections and strata of the society with the conclusion that these calls are genuine and legitimate and wants them to be respected.

13. ANTI LABOUR MOVEMENT BEHAVIOR OF AYUBA WABBA

The Meeting-in-Session observed with consternation the increasing ways and manners Comrade Ayuba Wabba has turned himself into agent of destabilizing industrial unions that seek to be free from the shackles of failed congress and truly represent the interests of its members.

These unscrupulous and anti- labour movement activities of Comrade Ayuba Wabba are evident in several petitions written to security agencies and Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment against Union leaders and

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unions that refused to do his biddings and even to the extent of making attempts to cause disaffections within these unions as well.

The Council-in-session therefore called on the Nigeria Labour Congress to call Comrade Wabba Ayuba to order in the interest of the working people of Nigeria that are yearning for adequate and proper representation.

14. ULC REGISTRATION

The NEC-in-session carefully examined the efforts the leadership of United Labour Congress have put into meeting the requirements needed for the registration of the United Labour Congress as a labour centre in Nigeria. And, expressed full satisfaction for the progress made so far but noted with deep worries the attitude of some unscrupulous labour leaders and their accomplices in the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment trying to truncate the noble objective of creating adequate representation for Nigerian workers.

The House-in-session therefore, called on the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment to register without further delay the United Labour Congress (ULC) as a labour centre in Nigeria, representing good numbers of workers in strategic sector of the economy, having met the requirements

The meeting-in-session further warned those individuals and desperate bodies working against the registration, to desist from this short sighted act, as there is freedom of association well entrenched in section 40 of the Nigerian Constitution and eloquently espoused by the ILO convention.

18. VOTE OF CONFIDENCE

The NEC-in-session carefully reviewed the performance and the leadership style of the current management team of the union considering the fact that its tenure is about to expire and drawing from the unprecedented achievements recorded within the time under review in terms of improved conditions of work for staff and members coupled with various capital

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projects executed, the NEC-in-session unanimously passed a Vote of Confidence on the National President, Comrade (Dr) Igwe Achese for his purposeful leadership which has taken the Union to an enviable height.

COMRADE IGWE ACHESE

PRESIDENT

COMRADE JOSEPH OGBEBOR

SECRETARY

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NUPENG WARNS GOVERNORS ON DIVERSION OF PARIS CLUB REFUND

The Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) commends Mr. President, Muhammadu Buhari for the release of the 50 percent Paris Club debt refund to the 36 states Governors to enable them pay salary arrears before Christmas.

The Union states that it is a good policy direction to end the sufferings of workers and pensioners in 21 States where they are owed out of the 36 States that makes up the federation.

NUPENG warns that it will be unfair and unjustifiable for any of the Governors to divert the funds to feather their nests in their 2019 re-election bid or for other political agenda.

The Union is disappointed at the State Governors outbursts that President Muhammadu Buhari did not tell them to clear all salaries arrears before Christmas. This shows the level of insincerity, unseriousness and insensitivity on the plight of Nigerian Workers.

The Union is also taken aback by the utterances of the Governors that the 50 percent Paris Club balance will not be enough to offset salary arrears.

The Union believes that the Governors are selfish, parochial and don’t have the interest of the masses at heart by owing workers salaries for about 6 – 10 months.

The Union warns that the attitude of the Governors portends danger that can cause revolt and prolonged industrial crisis, if they refuse to obey President Buhari’s order to use the money to pay backlog of salaries owed.

NUPENG calls on the President to set up an independent monitoring team to know how the State Governors spent the monies and where cases of diversion are established, the State Governors should be sanctioned.

Com. (Dr.) Igwe Achese President, NUPENG

NUPENG ADVISES BUHARI ON NNPC FEUD

The Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) has watched with keen interest and consternation the feud between the Minister of State, Petroleum Resources, Dr. Ibe Kachikwu and the Group Managing Director, NNPC, Dr. Maikanti Baru over alleged approved contracts of 25 billion dollars without the Board approval and other issues bordering on insubordination, appointments etc, and if not checked, will adversely affect the progress and development so far made in the Oil and Gas sector.

The Union is worried about the bad image internationally the alleged actions have given us, especially in the media.

NUPENG stated that Nigerians are watching and it is therefore important that the issue should not be swept under the carpet in view of the Buhari’s administrations fight against corruption and following due process.

The Union advises Mr. President Muhammadu Buhari not to treat the allegations with levity but with utmost good faith because the world is watching and waiting.

It stated that due process must be followed in the discharge of contractual agreements and those involving JVC’s agreements. NUPENG recalled that the challenges facing the NNPC are replete with bad history of mismanagement with that of Mrs. Diezani Alison Madueke still fresh in our minds.

The Union however appreciated the steps taken so far in the JVC cash calls to the International Oil Companies (IOC) to stabilize the operations in the sector and the re-opening of moribund depots which has enhanced products delivery across the country, but that the current allegations must be addressed by the administration as one of its cardinal principle is the promotion of transparency and accountability.

Our expectation is to see us as a hydrocarbon nation, to stop importation of petroleum products and to make our refineries work optimally so as to boast our foreign exchange earnings. Our NNPC 21 depots should be made to come back on stream and our pipelines secured with new trunk

lines built across the country. We believe this can create economic stability and can only be achieved where the Minister of Petroleum, Mr. President, Minister of State, Petroleum Resources and the GMD of NNPC are working in synergy

However, NUPENG reiterates that both Dr. Ibe Kachikwu and Dr. Maikanti Baru have done well in re-positioning the Oil and Gas industry and the infighting will only retard the gains made so far.

We therefore call on President Muhammed Buhari to resolve the issues by moving in swiftly to address whatever is causing the ill-affection that has made them to work at cross-purposes in order not to jeopardize the reforms in the Oil and Gas industry.

Com. (Dr.) Igwe Achese Com. Joseph Ogbebor

President General Secretary

NUPENG ADVISES ON PLANS TO SHUT REFINERIES FOR OVERHAUL

The Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) has advised on the planned shut-down of the nation’s three refineries at the same time for complete overhaul.

The Union commends the Buhari administration for the political will to rehabilitate the refineries but warned that it will not tolerate a situation whereby workers jobs are jeopardised.

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 of the nation’s three refineries but advised that it should be done in such a way that the workers jobs are protected.

NUPENG added that the plan 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 will not tolerate a situation where workers will 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 will 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.

Comrade (Dr.) Igwe Achese

NUPENG President