Date for PENGASSAN, NUPENG meeting with FG moved

The Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria and the National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas workers have postponed the meeting with the Federal Government over their planned strike till July 11.
Following the development, the unions have put the planned strike on hold.
Alhaji Tokunbo Korodo, the South West Chairman of NUPENG, made this known in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria on Thursday in Lagos.
According to Korodo, the meeting, which was scheduled to take place today (Thursday) has been shifted due to the public holiday declared by government to mark the Eid-El-Fitr.
The chairman, who is one of NUPENG’s representatives, said both parties had agreed to meet on July 11 to deliberate on the issues affecting the unions.
He said: “As a result of this, we have to put the strike, which is supposed to commence today, on hold to allow for useful deliberations with the government representatives.”
Korodo said the unions were aware of hardship the strike would cause the general public, adding that this was why the unions had agreed to meet with the Federal Government.
Korodo, however, said the unions would have no choice than to embark on strike if government does not address labour issues affecting members.
NAN reports that PENGASSAN had threatened to embark on a nationwide strike beginning from July 7 over some issues, including the alleged mass sacking of its members, by various oil and gas companies.
NAN also reports that the Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige, and the Monister of Petroleum Resources, Dr. Ibe Kachikwu, were scheduled to meet with rthe epresentatives of PENGASSAN on July 7, according to a statement issued on July 6, in Abuja.
The statement, signed by Samuel Olowookere, the Deputy Director (Press) in the Ministry of Labour, said the “crucial meeting” was being convened to find a lasting solution to problems in the oil and gas sector.