PRESS STATEMENT

The National Leadership of Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG), profoundly felicitates with the Nigeria’s oil and gas workers and other industry players as a whole on this auspicious day specifically set aside to celebrate the uniqueness of working masses in their various endeavors.

May Day is typically a period to do self introspection with the goal of fashioning a new path to progress and putting the struggle for the emancipation of working people in the front burner for decency of working life.

The Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers is using this auspicious occasion to highlight the fact that Nigeria oil and gas Industrial Relations atmosphere has been grossly affected negatively with numerous challenges ranging from redundancy, casualisation, outsourcing, hostile employers, non-implementation of Collective Bargaining Agreements (CBA) to non-recognition of Unions in the workplace.

Sadly, the covid-19 pandemic further plunged the workers into so many other harrowing challenges; even in the post covid-19 era some workers are yet to survive the negative effects which took serious toll on their socio-economic and psychological wellbeing.

Nevertheless the oil and gas Workers will remain resolute and undaunted, and will never give up, as the Union will continue the struggles and resist every obnoxious and anti-labour practice with all the resources at our disposal. We are strongly committed in our mandate to defend, promote and protect the rights of our members and this we promise to do with all our strength and conviction.

The Union leadership is equally using this opportunity to call on the Federal Government especially the National Assembly to fast-track the passage of the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) so that it can receive Presidential assent as soon as possible. It is our hope that when eventually passed it will meet the yearnings and aspirations of Nigerians.

We also urge them to ensure that the minimum wage is not expunged from the exclusive to concurrent list and the payment must as well remain non negotiable inspite of the pressure coming from some interest groups who desperately want a change in status quo at the detriment of the workers.

NUPENG is equally concerned about increasing state of insecurity in the country ranging from kidnapping, banditry, insurgency, ritual killings, civil unrest, and unhealthy rivalry among ethnic groups, farmer-herder conflicts, and citizen’s harassment by law enforcement agents etc.

The leadership of our Union commiserate with working people that have lost one loved one or the other to the cold hands of death as a result of the senseless killings going on in the country today. We pray that the God Almighty will console them and grant them the fortitude to bear the irreparable losses.

And in a very strong term, the leadership of our Union calls on Federal Government to rise up to the occasion by providing for security of lives of the citizens as it is its primary and constitutional responsibility. From all indication, the country is in a state of war and no one should pretend otherwise. The government must seek for help immediately because it is becoming very apparent that the situation has overwhelmed it.

Similarly, the high level of insecurity has further worsen the economic situation of the country and has made the country to be going in and out of recession every time. The twin problems of insecurity and economic recession must be addressed without further delay as this is taking serious toll on the health, safety and livelihoods of the Nigerian workers.

It is our expectation that the political elites would rise to the occasion and save the nation from total collapse.

We are also using this platform to admonish government in this post covid-19 era that while people are gradually adjusting to the new normal, Nigerian government needs to do more in facilitating citizen’s vaccination and ensure job security and socio-economic empowerment of Nigerians so that life could be more meaningful and abundant so as to promote sharp decline in defiant behaviors.

However, the leadership of the Union is making it abundantly clear that it will not rest on its oars to defend and promote the rights and privileges of oil and gas workers in Nigeria.

NUPENG as trustee of posterity will continue to serve as a pillar of strength for our members and the working people as we brave the challenges and storms, working together with other patriots to build a dynamic, strong, united and prosperous nation where decency of employment will flourish and prevail.

Happy Workers Day to Nigeria oil and gas workers and the entire working people globally.

Our solidarity remains constant for the Union makes us strong!

SIGNED:

COMRADE (PRINCE) WILLIAMS AKPOREHA,
NUPENG NATIONAL PRESIDENT

COMRADE AFOLABI OLAWALE,
GENERAL SECRETARY OF NUPENG.