Regina Otokpa 
The Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) has directed its members to cease all operations from October 3, 2023, in compliance with the indefinite strike action declared by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC).
In a directive handed down to its members across the country, the National President and General Secretary of NUPENG, Comrade Williams Akporeha and Comrade Afolabi Olawale respectively, said the federal government’s gross insensitivity to the plight of workers was totally unacceptable.
The directive reads: “We wish to inform all our members in the formal and informal sectors of the Nigeria oil and gas industry and alert the general public that the rank and file members of our union are hereby directed to commence full mobilization and ensure unwavering compliance with the directive of the two labour centres to all affiliate unions to embark on a nationwide industrial action from midnight of 3rd October 2023.
“The leadership of NUPENG finds it so disturbing and unfortunate, that the federal government of Nigeria and other tiers of governments are so insensitive to the excruciating and debilitating socio/economic pains Nigerians are passing through as a result of very harsh and sudden economic policies taken by this administration without any accompanying socio/economic policies to ameliorate and cushion the immediate effects and impacts those difficult and harsh policies are having on the citizenry.
“Further worrisome to us is the apparent lack of regard and respect to the cries and yearnings of the organised labour, civil society organisations and the general public by this administration. lt appears the administration is arrogantly taking the goodwill and the tolerance level of the workers and Nigerians in general for granted. This arrogance is demonstrated clearly and loudly by the ways and manners of meetings with organized labour and outcomes of such meetings are taken with levity and disrespect.
“The Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) is aware of the huge impacts a 24-hour industrial action by the organized labour can have on businesses and socio/economic lives of the nation, unfortunately, the government’s actions and inactions are inextricably forcing the organized labour to take this very hard and painful route of last resort to demand for needful socio/economic policies to ameliorate and cushion the debilitating and dehumanizing living conditions of Nigerians generally.
“Beyond any reasonable doubt, the government has demonstrated high insensitivity, lack of respect and regard to organized labour and the Nigerian masses.
“Therefore, it is in the light of the above, that NUPENG as a responsive and responsible affiliate Union of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), will fully comply with the resolution of the joint NEC meeting and we hereby direct the leaders in the four (4) Zonal Councils of our great Union to mobilize all our members in the formal and informal sectors to shut down services effective 3rd October 2023.
“All NUPENG members, including the Petroleum Tanker Drivers (PTD), Petrol Stations Workers (PSW), Liquefied Petroleum Gas Retailers (LPGAR) and all other allied workers in the value chain of petroleum products distribution must comply with this directive from midnight of Tuesday, 3rd October 2023.
“All Branches and Units of our Union are to take note and ensure full compliance by setting up Compliance and Monitoring Teams in all operational locations.”
