After two days of marathon meetings between representatives of Federal Government led by the Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige and leaders of National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN), the oil and gas union yesterday in Abuja suspended its one-week strike.
PENGASSAN had embarked on an indefinite strike on July 7 over a number of issues affecting its members which were not addressed by the Federal Government. But President of the Union, Comrade Johnson Olabode, who announced the suspension at the end of its National Executive Council meeting yesterday morning, said the Federal Government has accepted to show understanding after extensive deliberations on all the issues.
Some of the burning issues discussed at the two-day meeting were state of the nation’s refineries, non-passage of Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB), non – Implementation of Collective Agreement for NNRA, PTI, PPPRA, DPR and NCDMB 2015 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA), Integrated Personnel Payroll Information System (IPPIS), Joint Venture Funding / Cash Call Arrears and State of the Nation as well as Restructuring and Resourcing in Government Agencies under Ministry of Petroleum Resources.
His words: “NEC met to appraise the industrial action after an extensive debate with the representatives of the Federal Government the following provisions were reached.NEC in session in conciliation of the issues during the meeting with the Federal Government has accepted to show understanding.
