Nigeria’s
oil workers’ unions have suspended their nationwide strike earlier
embarked on in protest of several unresolved issues with the government.
The
decision to call-off the strike was arrived at on Friday in a
close-door meeting in Abuja between representatives of the union and the
Federal Government delegation. The meeting lasted almost 12 hours.
A
joint communique was issued at the end of the meeting by the leaders of
the Petroleum and Natural Gas Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN),
Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) and the
government’s delegation led by the Supervising Labour Minister, Tanimu
Turaki.
Nigerian Oil workers had commenced an indefinite strike
to protest alleged unfair labour practice and non-passage of the
Petroleum Industry Bill.
According to officials of the NUPENG
and the PENGASSAN, the government have refused to implement agreements
reached with the unions on these issues.
At the meeting, the
Supervising Minister promised the unions of government’s commitment to
resolving all issues they raised, but the striking workers expressed
doubt on the willingness of the international oil companies to implement
resolutions of their meetings.
Long queues returned to petrol
stations in Abuja, the nation’s capital city and other cities as
motorists engaged in panic buying of petrol, while unionists continue to
chant solidarity songs, promising to enforce their industrial action
unless government takes steps to address the issues.
Credit: Channels
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