Baru appeals to NUPENG to shelve planned strike

The Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, Dr. Maikanti Baru, on Friday appealed to the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers to reconsider a 15-day ultimatum it issued the Federal Government.
A statement issued in Abuja by the NNPC Spokesman, Ndu Ughamadu, said Baru expressed concern over the possible effects the ultimatum would have on products supply and distribution chain in the country.
The GMD stated that NUPENG’s threat could compound the current hiccups in the supply chain, over which concerted efforts are being made to bring under control.
Baru therefore appealed to the union to exercise patience to enable government address issues over which it had raised concern.
NUPENG had in a release dated January 31 given a 15-day ultimatum to government over six labour issues between some of its members and their respective companies.
Baru urged NUPENG to maintain the harmonious industrial relations that have brought stability to the industry.
Meanwhile, the Petroleum Tanker Drivers branch of NUPENG has assured the NNPC that it had no plan to embark on any strike action.
According to the statement, the PTD Chairman, Oladiti Salman, dismissed online claims that it issued an ultimatum to government over the state of some roads in the country as a ruse.
Salman disowned the statement which had been trending on the social media, saying: “The misinformation is a calculated attempt by mischief makers to cause panic in the country.”