Kunle Kalejaye 09 July 2016, Sweetcrude, Lagos – The Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association, PENGASSAN, has debunked reports of the suspension of its nationwide strike, noting that the industrial action has commenced with the gradual withdrawal of its members from offshore locations as well as from loading bays and flow stations.
PENGASSAN also stated that the strike kicked off on Thursday despite the Eid-el Filtri public holiday declared by the Federal Government.
According to a statement by the PENGASSAN’s National Public Relations Officer, Comrade Emmanuel Ojugbana, “there is no iota of truth in the report that the strike has been called off or suspended. As we are speaking now, some of our members that are in the offshore have been withdrawn, while others who are on critical equipment have commenced gradual shutting down of such equipment before their final disengagement.
“Our members, especially those in offices and downstream sector will join tomorrow (Friday) as they resume from the Eid el Fitri holiday.”
Ojugbana restated that the strike was to press home PENGASSAN’s demands for government’s attention to some critical challenges impacting the survival of the nation’s oil and gas industry.