Nigeria’s oil workers on Friday criticised the
on-going reform in the oil and gas industry,
and vowed to take steps to protect their
members’ interest.
The workers, under the aegis of the National
Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers
and Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff
Association of Nigeria, NUPENGASSAN,
described the reform as a cover-up and
vindictive actions against their members. They
urged President Muhammadu Buhari to call
the newly appointed Group Managing Director,
GMD, of the Nigerian National Petroleum
Corporation, NNPC, Emmanuel Kachikwu, to
order by direct him to stop the on-going sack
in the Corporation.
Vowing to give equal response to whatever
actions of government they consider capable
of suppressing worker’s interests, the unions
suggested that a team should be set up
immediately to review Mr. Kachikwu’s actions
so far in the interest of justice, equity and
fairness.
Within two weeks of the commencement of the
reform, Mr. Kachikwu has carried out massive
restructuring of the management of the
corporation.
Apart from the sack and re-composition of the
board, Mr. Kachikwu has retired 38 top
management staff, pruning the top hierarchy
of the corporation from 122 to 83, while
reducing the operational directorates from
eight to four.
New Group Executive Directors, GEDs, have
since been appointed for the new directorates,
along with Group General Managers, GGMs, for
the various divisions, a move the new oil chief
said was to rid the corporation of corruption
and make it more efficient and profitable.
Regardless, the oil workers in a joint
statement by the President of the Petroleum
and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of
Nigeria, PENGASSAN, Francis Johnson, and
his counterpart in the National Union of
Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers, NUPENG,
Igwe Achese, accused the NNPC management
of executing an agenda that did not carry the
workers’ unions along.
The statement, which was also signed by their
General Secretaries – Bayo Olowoshile and
Joseph Ogbebor respectively- also accused
Mr. Kachikwu of pursuing an agenda contrary
to the idea canvassed by President
Muhammadu Buhari.
“While we are fully in support of the fight
against corruption, the fight itself should not
be turned against workers whom government
swore to protect,” the oil workers said.
“The ongoing exercise portends a great danger
in the oil sector if workers are meant to bear
the brunt of government’s current action
where the fight against corruption is now
being used as an act of vindictiveness against
workers.”
The on-going exercise, the oil workers said,
did not show any attempt to fight corruption
and block leakages, but was “an act of cover
up.”
“We dare the new GMD of NNPC, Dr. Ibe
Kachikwu to recover the stolen trillions of
Naira in the sector than retiring and sacking
of innocent workers. We are quite sure that
the on-going action is not the idea of our dear
President Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR.”
As players in all spheres of the industry’s
operation, the unions said they have been
trying to meet with the President to review the
on-going reforms in the NNPC, saying they
have so far been kept in the dark by his
protocol staff.
Despite being the representatives of organized
workers in the industry, the union leaders
claimed all their suggestions on the critical
challenges affecting the on-going reforms
were being not being considered by the
authorities.
They listed the issues to include the review of
industry policy and fiscal framework; cash call
and counterpart funding obligations; stability
of the downstream oil and gas sector; pipeline
sabotage and oil theft.
On the NNPC restructuring, the oil workers
said the gale of abrupt loss of jobs in the
corporation was sending very wrong signals to
their members throughout the oil and gas
sector, particularly about their job security.
Reminding government of its promise to
create jobs through the entire strata of the
economy, they noted that the situation in the
NNPC was likely to have the opposite effect.
“We believe people are not the problem, but
the structure put in place. If there are strong
structures and institutions, the organization
will be a more effective place,” the unions
stated.
“So instead of a blanket sacking of workers,
which other organizations are likely to key
into, government reforms should be geared
towards putting in place effective and strong
structures and institutions that will meet the
numerous challenges currently bedevilling the
oil and gas sector in particular and the nation
in general.” http://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/headlines/188411-nnpc-reform-nigeria-oil-workers-prepare-for-showdown-with-buhari.html

so they are scared of losing their jobs wen dier corrupt practices over the years has dealt a huge blow on d nations economy...

this one na Epistle. !!

They are all maad, so they think it would be the usual party time as it was in the last regime. Baba means business nd whoever has any skeleton in store should make amendment now..
Better repent nd sin no more because stealing is now corruption..

This reforms would take NNPC to greater height.

May God give PMB nd Ibe Kachukwu the strength, zeal to keep up the good work.

All this thieves and corrupt people shall be reduced to the bearest minimum.

all the thieves, the clueless ex, the looters, the so called peace keepers, the wailing wailers, may God grant you the strength to survive four years of Buhari's restructuring of Nigeria IJN

It is time to call for an audit of PUPENG/PENGASSN financial activities for the past four years, EFCC get ready

They did not prepare for showdown when corruption was running down the country's mainstay. Useless union.

Show down with who? With My sai buhari nonsense

kokoA:
It is time to call for an audit of PUPENG/PENGASSN financial activities for the past four years, EFCC get ready

when th shut down the oil sector through a strike don't come here and complain o