18 May 2017, Sweetcrude, Lagos — The Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers, NUPENG, has faulted the Memorandum of Understanding, MOU, entered into between the Federal Government and Oando Plc for the management of the Port Harcourt Refinery under a repair, operate and maintain, ROM arrangement.
In a statement by its General Secretary, Joseph Ogbebor, NUPENG described the arrangement as faulty, lacking in transparency and not involving other stakeholders, especially the two oil workers unions, NUPENG and Petroleum and Natural General Senior Staff Association of Nigeria, PENGASSAN.
NUPENG advised the Federal Government against the takeover bid by Oando, warning that it would resist the move if it found out it would result in job losses.
“Oando Plc is not a worker-friendly organisation as it detests unionization in all its subsidiaries and companies. We are not against the Federal Government’s reform to overhaul the oil and gas sector, but it should not be to the detriment of workers. NUPENG will resist the arrangement with Oando if the oil workers are thrown into the unemployment market. The change promised by the present administration is to generate more jobs and not kill jobs which Oando is known for.
“We call on the Federal Government to involve NUPENG and PENGASSAN in the arrangement before it is signed by the end of July, 2017, to avert a major industrial crisis in the oil and gas sector of the economy.”
