Energy Briefs
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THE Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers, NUPENG, has urged the Federal Executive Council, FEC, headed by President Muhammadu Buhari, to immediately hit the ground running by arresting the worsening fuel scarcity across the country. NUPENG, in a statement, issued by Igwe Achese, its President, argued that since President Buhari is in charge of the petroleum ministry, he and his team must put up short and long term measures to end the sufferings of the masses and make petroleum products available to Nigerians without wasting man–hours at the filling stations.
The union which claimed a lot of time had been wasted while trying to constitute the federal cabinet to implement the programmes of the government also called on the federal executive council, FEC, to proffer solutions that would meet the needs of the teeming Nigerians as the All Progressives Congress-led government promised during electioneering campaigns.
“The expectations are high and FEC should put up concrete policies to hit the ground running by arresting the incessant fuel shortages being experienced at present all over the country. Since Mr. President is personally in charge of the petroleum ministry, he and his team must put up short and long term measures to end the sufferings of the masses by ensuring they get petroleum products without wasting man- hours at the filling stations.
“Mr. President must address the issues of non-payment of cash-calls on joint ventures and also represent the Petroleum Industry Bill, PIB, to the National Assembly after a stakeholders’ meeting to iron out the grey areas. The new FEC must address the divestment in the oil and gas industry and tackle head-on the turnaround maintenance of the nation’s four refineries in Port Harcourt, Kaduna and Warri. The union will resist any further retrenchment and down-sizing in the oil and gas sector and therefore call for the right enabling environment that will create a level-playing field for investors to operate.
The NUPENG also urged the federal government to quickly address the nagging issue of actualisation and outsourcing of workers to labour contractors, which is modern-day slavery. The union wants the problems of power and bad roads to be addressed with diversification to put the economy back on the right footing, as Nigerians resilience and patience should not be taken for granted. Nigerians are tired of lamentations but need action, he said.
— Dec 7, 2015 @ 01:00 GMT
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