The Nigerian Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG), has raised the alarm over the Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige, plans to proscribe the union.
This is even as the union has threatened to embark on industrial action should the Presidency fail to call the minister to order.
President of NUPENG, Williams Akporeha, in a statement at the weekend, accused the Minister of Labour of making moves to proscribe the union despite its strict adherence to statutory modes of operation in line with the laws of the land as well as international conventions since its formal registration as a trade union in1978.
He lamented that in the aftermath of the encounter between labour and the minister over the inauguration of the board of the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF), with Comrade (Chief) Ovie Frank Kokori as the chairman, the Minister has issued a directive to NUPENG to produce its only outstanding financial returns for 2018 within 72 hours, when the extant law stipulates 30 days, and even when such returns are supposed to be due by June 31, 2019.
He said, “We have it on good authority that he has further carried all our files right from the inception of our union (1978) to date in a bid to fish out phantom reasons he intends to use in proscribing the union.
“Our fears were confirmed further when we realised that it was only NUPENG that was instructed to submit its financial returns.
“Worst still, Ngige, in his petty and infantile nature, has proceeded on self-destructive mission to proscribe NUPENG because the union dared to speak against what it believes was wrong and injurious to our interest. Ngige’s latest machination is purely a personal vendetta, ruthless in execution, sadistic in expectations and not 21st century industrial relations practice compliant.”
Akporeha noted that NUPENG or its leadership never had any personal issues with the minister, noting that taking a matter that was official to this level was the height of abuse of power.
“NUPENG is, however, unperturbed by the antics of the minister, but remains resolute in guarding our policy thrust in tandem with the rules of engagement,” he said.
The NUPENG president stated the latest threat to the union could degenerate into industrial crisis, should President Muhammadu Buhari fail to call the minister to order.
He said, “Meanwhile, we are by this press statement putting all our members in every oil and gas installation, including petroleum tanker drivers and all other members on high red alert, while we watch out for any further infantile and ignoble antics from Ngige.”