Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria, PENGASSAN, Sunday directed members to shut operations and all activities at the nation’s oil rigs and export terminals from midnight over the detention of 21 offshore members by the Rivers State Government since Thursday.
THe association revealed in a statement on Sunday that by midnight today all export facilities will stop operation as well as suspension of Production & Maintenance Services Reports.
Statement reads: Recall that on Thursday the 16th of April 2020, we raised the alarm over the illegal arrest and detention of 21(19 male and 2 female) member staff of ExxonMobil by the Rivers State Police Command on the pretext that they violated the State Executive Order on the prevention of movement to curtail the spread of the Coronavirus in the state.
It is more than 48 hours today that these patriotic workers who were lured from the border between Rivers and Akwa Ibom are still detained under inhabitable and inhuman conditions and denied access to basic necessities of life at Elekhahia Stadium. All entreaties to the Rivers State Government to see reasons that they were on essential duties which is for the economic interest of the country have been rebuffed.
Also, it has become obvious that the Federal Government who through the Presidential Task Force on the COVID-19 Pandemic cannot guarantee access to work locations for our members who have volunteered to sacrifice their lives and comfort to salvage the Country from the impending economic crisis occasioned by this world-wide
The Federal Government and relevant authorities having failed to secure the release of these 21 comrades on legitimate national assignment, the leadership of Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN), having no other option regrettably direct all our members to commence the withdrawal of services as follows;
1. By midnight Sunday 19th April 2020, all Export facilities will stop operation as well as suspension of Production & Maintenance Services Reports.
2. That by 12 noon on Monday 20th April all our members will withdraw all forms of services relating to crude oil production, refining, distribution and supplies.
This directive will remain in force until assurances of our members’ safety are guaranteed by Federal Government. We are in consultation with our units, branches and other sister Unions who will also be joining the action as
the safety of our members is our uttermost priority.
Comrade Ndukaku M. Ohaeri
President, PENGASSAN
Comrade Lumumba Okugbawa
General Secretary, PENGASSAN
Cc: FML&E; GMD; DSS; IGP; DPR; MPR; IOC’SRecall that on Thursday the 16th of April 2020, we raised the alarm over the illegal arrest and detention of 21(19 male and 2 female) member staff of ExxonMobil by the Rivers State Police Command on the pretext that they violated the State Executive Order on the prevention of movement to curtail the spread of the Coronavirus in the state.
It is more than 48 hours today that these patriotic workers who were lured from the border between Rivers and Akwa Ibom are still detained under inhabitable and inhuman conditions and denied access to basic necessities of life at Elekhahia Stadium. All entreaties to the Rivers State Government to see reasons that they were on essential duties which is for the economic interest of the country have been rebuffed.
Also, it has become obvious that the Federal Government who through the Presidential Task Force on the COVID-19 Pandemic cannot guarantee access to work locations for our members who have volunteered to sacrifice their lives and comfort to salvage the Country from the impending economic crisis occasioned by this world-wide
The Federal Government and relevant authorities having failed to secure the release of these 21 comrades on legitimate national assignment, the leadership of Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN), having no other option regrettably direct all our members to commence the withdrawal of services as follows;
1. By midnight Sunday 19th April 2020, all Export facilities will stop operation as well as suspension of Production & Maintenance Services Reports.
2. That by 12 noon on Monday 20th April all our members will withdraw all forms of services relating to crude oil production, refining, distribution and supplies.
This directive will remain in force until assurances of our members’ safety are guaranteed by Federal Government. We are in consultation with our units, branches and other sister Unions who will also be joining the action as
the safety of our members is our uttermost priority.
Comrade Ndukaku M. Ohaeri
President, PENGASSAN
Comrade Lumumba Okugbawa
General Secretary, PENGASSAN
Cc: FML&E; GMD; DSS; IGP; DPR; MPR; IOC’S