By Akanimo Sampson
Oil workers in Nigeria are bracing to ground the deeply troubled most populous African country because of the annoying situation in Kaduna State under the watch of Governor Nasir El-Rufai.
Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) has sid that it will embark on nationwide industrial action over the attack on members of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) protesting in Kaduna.
NUPENG’s President, Williams Akporeha, says oil workers will be on the red alert as they could shut their services “at very short notice if situation arises”.
Members of the organised labour were attacked by armed thugs while protesting in Kaduna on Monday.
The labour union is on a five-day warning strike over the sack of civil servants by the state government.
NLC Chairman in the state, Ayuba Suleiman, said labour unions were committed to the principle of dialogue and social bargaining for the benefit of the disengaged workers.
But the El-Rufai administration is claiming that the move was necessitated because of its high wage bill.
Following the strike, the Kaduna governor, accused NLC members of economic sabotage and declared their leaders wanted.
In a statement, Suleiman said NUPENG is “deeply saddened” with the attack, and asked the federal government to “immediately call el-Rufai to order.”
“Consequently, the union reiterates that no Labour Leaders or workers as the case may be, be harmed, harassed, maimed, humiliated or victimized during this 5-day peaceful protests in the state”, he said.
“Our Union is raising this alarm following the very reliable report of the clandestine move of Governor Nasir El-RUfai to hurt and put the lives of NLC President, Ayuba Wabba and other labour leaders to danger in his usual blind egotistical style of running government in the state
“NUPENG, therefore, warns that if any harm is inflicted on any of the members of organised labour, the leadership of the union will not hesitate to call on all our members throughout the nation for a total shut down of all our services in the upstream, midstream and downstream sectors of the oil and gas industry.
“In the light of the above, we are therefore putting all NUPENG members nationwide on red alert and may at very short notice of five hours call for a nationwide industrial action if situation arises.”
NUPENG president adds that their solidarity with the NLC remains constant as it “makes us strong.”
The union already shut all fuel depots and filling stations in Kaduna over the strike.
