NUPENG: Nationwide strike on hold

The Nigerian Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers said it had put hold the nationwide strike the union members scheduled to commence on Thursday August 23, 2012. The President of the union, Mr. Achese Igwe, who made the announcement after a meeting with federal government, said the ongoing strike in Abuja would however continue.

The meeting between NUPENG, representatives of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Trade Union Congress (TUC) and government, took place in the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF).

 Those present at the meeting included the SGF, Senator Pius Anyim; Minister of Labour, Mr. Emeka Wogu; Minister State for Finance, Dr. Yerima Ngama; Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Labour, Mr. Tunji Olaopa; acting President of the NLC, Comrade Promise Adewusi; NLC Deputy President, Comrade Joe Ajaero; NUPENG President, Comrade Igwe Achese; Secretary General, TUC, Comrade John Kolawole; and some representatives of petroleum tank farms.

 At the meeting, the parties agreed that the status quo shall remain until negotiations are concluded. The implication is that fuel scarcity in Abuja would remain unresolved while the union would hold off halting supply of petroleum products to other parts of the country.

NUPENG had threatened to embark on a nationwide strike if the government refused to pay subsidy claims of marketers. The union had on Thursday last week started an industrial action in the Federal Capital Territory. The strike has led to fuel scarcity in the FCT.

PHCN: NLC to commence solidarity strike

The Nigeria Labour Congress said it has concluded arrangements to call workers in the country out on industrial action as solidarity with workers of the Power holding Company of Nigeria, PHCN, who it said, were being unfairly treated by Ministry of Power over their stand that the right things be done before the planned privatization of the PHCN by the Federal Government.

It said it had set up strike mobilization committees across the country preparatory to the planned strike which it said, would commence immediately if there was deadlock in their meeting with the government on Wednesday, next week.

The NLC which addressed the press through its Acting President, Promise Adewumi and Acting General Secretary, Chris Uyot respectively, on the impasse in negotiation between the workers of the Power Holding Company of Nigeria, and the Federal Government, accused the former of being insincere in settling the dispute.

The union said the Federal government reneged on its demand that soldiers should be called off from the PHCN facilities as well as immediate payment of July salary to all PHCN workers for genuine negotiation to commence, saying it was not ready to accept any excuse from the government if the next meeting billed for Wednesday does not address its demands immediately.

The labour also urged the Federal Government to create the enabling environment for a meaningful dialogue just as it asked the government to call the Minister of Power, Professor Barth Nnaji to order, saying the minister has resorted to negative utterances against the workers.

Looming Oil Marketers Strike over Subsidy Disbursement

Nigeria may soon experience yet another fuel crisis as major and independent oil marketers have vowed to suspend their operations in days ahead over the continued delay in payment of their fuel subsidy claims by the Federal Government. In addition, the alleged plans by government to release only N21 billion monthly for subsidy payment has pitched the marketers against the government.

The marketers under the aegis of Depot and Petroleum Products Marketers Association of Nigeria (DAPPMA), Jetty and Petroleum Tank Farm Owners of Nigeria (JEPTFON) and Major Oil Marketers Association of Nigeria (MOMAN) have resolved to shut down their facilities nation-wide should government fail to commence the payment of their outstanding entitlements.

Nigeria’s daily fuel consumption stood at about 60,000 metric tons (mt) per day, but was reduced to about 35,000 mt, in a move, which according to the Petroleum Minister, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke, was aimed at ensuring transparency and efficiency in the fuel import scheme. However, the marketers argued that with the current daily consumption of about 35,000mt per day, it means that about 1,050,000 mt tons of premium motor spirit is consumed monthly, which translates to about $1,050,000,000 monthly at an average price of $1,000 per metric ton. They noted that the subsidy element, which is about 35 percent, will bring the average amount per month to about $367,500,000 (N60,637,500,000), pointing out that with the new payment method, it will take government almost three months to pay one month claim.

The Presidential Committee on Fuel Subsidy Payment headed by the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Access Bank Plc, Mr. Aigboje Aig-Imoukhede, had in its report noted that  both the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and the marketers made total claims of N2,109,386,944,946.92 in 2011, with the NNPC claiming N981,734,423,649.56, while the oil marketing and trading companies submitted claims of N1,127,652,521,297.36.