OIL WORKERS GIVES BUHARI ONE CONDITION

 

The National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) and the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) on Friday commended the Federal Government for removing subsidy on petrol.
 

This is contained in a communiqué issued at the end of a National Executive Council of PENGASSAN and NUPENG in Calabar, Cross River.

The communiqué was jointly signed by Mr Francis Olabode-Johnson, President of PENGASSAN and his counterpart of NUPENG, Dr Igwe Achese.

Welcoming the petrol price increase, the workers stated that the measure would benefit Nigerians in the nearest future.

According to it, Nigerians have been yearning for the removal of subsidy for many years now but to no avail.

“The price is the secondary issue; the Federal Government has brought up a policy that would stop money from entering into the hands of few individuals.

“The subsidy removal is a welcome development; we must not mortgage our economy into the hands of few selfish individuals,’’ the workers said.

They said that they would push for a new minimum wage demand of N90, 000, given the new development.

“With the new pump price of N145 per litre, government must speed up the negotiation process for a new minimum wage of N90, 000 to cushion the effect of the envisaged inflation.

“ As the price of fuel increases, there should also be an increment in workers’ salary as the old minimum wage of N18, 000 has no effect again,’’ they stated.

NAN reports that both unions condemned the renewed spate of pipeline vandalism in the Niger Delta, and urged the government to check the illegalities of the militants.

They also urged the government not to sell refineries to private individuals as scrap, but should grant full financial autonomy to the management of the refineries for optimal production. (NAN)