NUPENG suspends 2-week strike in Rivers

The National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG), Port Harcourt Zone, on Tuesday, suspended its strike, after two harrowing weeks of high price of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), otherwise known as petroleum, in Rivers State.

The suspension of the industrial action was due to the intervention of Governor Nyesom Wike, as the union, comprising Rivers and Bayelsa chapters, went on strike because of the sack of 100 workers by two oil-servicing companies in the two states.

Acting chairman of NUPENG, Port Harcourt zone, Mr Charles Eleto, announced the suspension of the industrial action at a news conference in Port Harcourt.

He said the union went on strike because of an alleged anti-labour practices of the two companies, adding that they would meet with Governor Wike tomorrow (Wednesday) to formalise the process and chart the way forward.

“We, therefore, advise all members of the union to go back to work and thank the public for their patience and understanding during the strike,” he added.

Also speaking, the National Industrial Relations Officer, NUPENG, Mr Bassey Harry, commended the Rivers State government for its intervention to end the strike.

He called on members to resume work and start loading immediately, adding, “We want to urge all the depots to allow only trucks from Rivers to load products. Only those trucks from Rivers should load within 72 hours because of the suspension of the strike.”

On his part, the state Commissioner for Energy and Natural Resources, Mr Shedrack Ogbogu, said the governor’s intervention was intended to stop the misunderstanding between the union and oil servicing companies.

He also called on all stakeholders in the crisis to attend a meeting convened by the governor on Wednesday to formally end the strike.