The Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) has called on President Bola Tinubu o urgently convene a broad-based stakeholders’ meeting to provide comprehensive clarification on the Executive Order on direct remittance of oil and gas revenues to the Federation Account.

According to NUPENG, the absence of detailed public engagement has generated tension in the sector and heightened restiveness among workers who are eager to understand how the new directive may affect their employment, welfare and job security, especially as it affects the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) and other major operations in the oil and gas industry.

A statement by NUPENG President, Williams Akporeha, said petroleum workers across upstream, midstream and downstream operations have expressed concern over the content, intent and implications of the Executive Order.

Noting that the industry remains the backbone of Nigeria’s economy, contributing significantly to national revenue, foreign exchange earnings and employment, Akporeha warned that any policy shift, particularly one introduced through an Executive Order, has far-reaching consequences for regulatory frameworks, investment decisions, operational standards and labour relations within the sector.

Specifically, the NUPENG boss said there was an urgent need for clarity on the scope and objectives of the Executive Order, like asking about what precise reforms or adjustments it introduces and its implications for the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) and whether the Order amends, reinterpret, or expands existing provisions under the PIA?

He added: “Impact on workers and existing labour agreements – Will it affect job security, conditions of service, collective bargaining agreements, or ongoing restructuring processes within the industry?, and effects on indigenous participation and local content development – How will it influence Nigerian companies and employment opportunities for citizens?”

He said NUPENG is particularly concerned that, without proper consultation and explanation, misinterpretations of the Executive Order may spread across the industry, potentially destabilising operations and undermining the industrial harmony that stakeholders have worked hard to sustain.

He said that a timely stakeholders’ meeting that brings together organised labour, regulatory agencies, operators, host community representatives, and other critical stakeholders would help douse rising tension, address misconceptions, and foster transparency and trust in government policy.

“Though our union remains committed to constructive engagement, national development, and the stability of the oil and gas sector, we are duty-bound and constitutionally bound to protect the rights, welfare, and job security of our members whose livelihoods depend on clear, fair, and predictable policy frameworks.
“We therefore respectfully urge President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to take immediate steps to engage stakeholders and provide the necessary clarifications in the interest of industrial peace, economic stability, and national progress,” he said.