NUPENG READY TO PARTNER WITH NNPC TO END FUEL SCARCITY

The Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) have said that it is ready to partner with the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) to end the perennial fuel scarcity in the country now.

The Union states that it has the capacity, men and will to do that and therefore calls for collaboration with the NNPC to end the scourge. NUPENG makes bold to say that 60 percent of its members are involved in the distribution chain.

The Union adds that most of the IPMAN and NARTO members are either NUPENG members or were former members and with collaborationwith them, they will be able to get the issue right and end the present scarcity of petroleum products.

On privatization, the Union warns that the Federal government should be careful not to make the same mistakes made by the past administration in the country as it happened in the power sector. The Union cautions that the government should not allow the failure of the privatization process in the power sector to rub on the Oil & Gas sector.

NUPENG stresses that all the past privatization processes done by the Bureau for Public Corporation (BPE) was fraught with inadequacies and that government should review the exercises and where necessary revoke their licenses. NUPENG adds that till date all privatization exercises done lacked transparency

The Union calls on the Federal government to make the refineries work optimally to reduce the dependence on foreign importation of petroleum products.

On the issue of subsidy, the Union states that the government should pay subsidy to the government to reduce and eliminate corrupt practices.

The Union also wants the Federal government to review the privatization of PHCN which has become counter-productive and has led to serious job losses.

On the issue of transparency, NUPENG supports the government’s fight against corruption and enacting transparency in government business especially as it affects the Oil & Gas industry.

The Federal government should also assist the marketers through the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to procure Foreign Exchange (FOREX) to import petroleum products in order to cushion the biting effects of fuel scarcity.

It also enjoins the Federal government to honor and pay all joint venture agreement to end the current lull in the upstream Oil & Gas business.

Com (Dr.) Igwe Achese NUPENG President