Oil
workers, under the aegis of the National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas
Workers (NUPENG) and the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of
Nigeria (PENGASSAN), have threatened to shut down oil and gas operations
in Port-Harcourt zone comprising Rivers, Bayelsa, Akwa-Ibom, Cross
River, Imo, Enugu, Abia, Ebonyi, Anambra and Benue States if anti-labour
practices in Onne Free Trade Zone do not stop within three weeks.
The
workers gave the ultimatum in a communique issued at the end of a joint NUPENG
and PENGASSAN (NUPENGASSAN) National Executive Council (NEC) meeting in
Calabar, Cross River State recently.
They
expressed deep worry about the continuing anti-labour posture of companies
operating in the Onne Free Trade Zone, recalling that the authorities of the
Free Trade Zone and companies operating in the zone have refused to heed the
advice by the Labour Minister to respect the constitutional rights of workers
to join trade unions and bargain collectively.
According
to the communiqué, “Unfortunately, the NEC-in-Session notes that these
companies in connivance with the Authority of the Free Trade Zone have
continued to deny Nigerian workers these inalienable constitutional rights.
“We
observe that managements of the various companies in the Free Trade Zone
continue to harass, intimidate and victimise workers. Consequently,
NEC-in-Session hereby directs the Port-Harcourt Zone of NUPENG and PENGASSAN to
shut down all oil and gas operations in Rivers, Bayelsa, Akwa-Ibom, Cross
River, Imo, Enugu, Abia, Ebonyi, Anambra and Benue States if these matters are
not resolved within three weeks.”
In
the communiqué, the workers also reminded the Governor of Rivers State, Rt.
Hon. Rotimi Chibuike Amaechi, of the agreement reached at the joint meeting of
NUPENGASSAN on 21st September, 2010, at Aldgate Congress Hotel,
Port-Harcourt, Rivers State on the Rivers State Social Levy.
The
agreement, they stated included, a review of the levy for those that earn
below N100, 000.00 to be treated as workers in the public sector;
inclusion of two representatives of NUPENG and PENGASSAN in the Board of
Governors of the new schools; commitment that the rate
of the social services levy will not be subject to further
review; and inclusion of the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC) on
the Board of Trustees of the Social Service Contributory Trust Fund.
The
workers noted in the communiqué the issues around the commencement date of the
law, maintaining that the effective commencement date of the law for the oil
and gas industry shall be the date when the state government fulfils all its
promises to NUPENG and PENGASSAN.
They,
therefore, called on Governor Amaechi to earnestly honour the River state
Government‘s side of the bargain.
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