NUPENG may begin strike over unpaid terminal benefits of members

The Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) will withdraw its services from Abuja and its environs over unpaid terminal benefits of its members by the Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON).

Speaking after its National Executive Council (NEC) meeting in Abuja recently, National President of NUPENG, Igwe Achese, said AMCON had not paid the over 300 employees of Seaworld Oil Field Services after several interventions by the relevant government agencies. He said the Petroleum Tanker Drivers (PTD) arm of NUPENG would be forced to withdraw its services to Abuja and its environs next week Thursday, 10th August 2017 if AMCON remains adamant on not going into negotiation.

“AMCON has been demonstrating executive lawlessness by refusing to pay over 300 workers that were laid off by Seawolf Oil Services. There are over 300 staffers that were retrenched without severance package payment. Some are dead while the remaining ones are suffering.

“We think that this is inhuman and for AMCON to remain indifferent is most callous. All efforts to bring AMCON to the table to discuss have failed, which has forced us to issue a two-week ultimatum for the withdrawal of our services in Abuja and environs.

“NUPENG will withdraw its services from Abuja and its environs from August 10, 2017 over the refusal of AMCON to pay retrenched staff of Seawolf Oil services. There were over 300 staff who were laid off without terminal benefits. All efforts at settling the matter have failed to yield result,” he said.

While wishing President Muhammadu Buhari speedy recovery as he recuperates in London, Igwe urged the Federal Government to rejig the Federal Executive Council (FEC) saying, “There are a few ministers that have shown incompetence since they were appointed.

“Some of them have also shown that they are overwhelmed by the responsibilities entrusted to them. It is time to bring some freshness into the FEC by relieving some people their posts with more focused people. This crop of minister is not the best the country can produce at this time.”