Queues of motorists jostling to buy petrol resurfaced at most filling stations in Abuja on Monday following an unconfirmed report that oil workers have embarked on a nationwide strike.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the queues were noticed in the afternoon around the city centre shortly after the workers were said to have announced the commencement of the strike.
NAN gathered that the workers were called out on the strike after ongoing discussion between their leaders and the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation management over unresolved pension issues was deadlocked.
It was learnt that the workers’ unions – the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria and the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers – declared the strike at about 1pm immediately after the negotiation failed.
Leaders of both unions were said to have ordered out all staff of NNPC out of their offices at the corporation’s headquarters in Abuja and threatened to shut the premises.
NAN gathered that the situation was, however, checked by security personnel hurriedly drafted to the NNPC Towers.
The news of the development made motorists to jostle for petrol, obviously to stem the hardship that might result if they strike really commenced.
At about 2pm, many filling stations in Wuse, Utako and Central Business areas had already recorded long queues of vehicles.
Efforts to reach officials of the two unions proved abortive as the security operatives at the entrance to the NNPC headquarters barred newsmen from entering the premises.
They could also not be reached on telephone, especially the President of NUPENG, Igwe Achese, whose telephone appeared to have been switched off.
The Group General Manager of Group Public Affairs Department of NNPC, Ohi Alegbe, told NAN on telephone that he was in a meeting over the matter and that a statement would be issued at the end of the meeting.
NAN gathered that negotiation between the workers’ leaders and NNPC management resumed at about 3.30pm after the initial face-off.