Members of the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) have said they will embark on a total nationwide strike in the next 72 hours (Wednesday),  at the expiration of its ultimatum to the Federal Government.

The union said it would embark on the strike without further delay and without further notice over the lingering dispute affecting members of the Jetty and Petroleum Tank Farm Owners of Nigeria (JEPTFON).

The General Secretary of NUPENG, Comrade Elijah Okougbo, said in a communique issued by the union that all the unions under NUPENG would embark on a full- scale strike by this week, “if the Federal Government failed to intervene in the lingering dispute affecting members of the Jetty and Petroleum Tank Farm Owners of Nigeria (JEPTFON).”

Therefore, barring any last minute intervention by the Federal Government this week, Nigerians will again witness  fuel scarcity when the strike begins on Wednesday as threatened.

The grievances of the union stems from a loan repayment deal to banks owed by members of Jetty and Petroleum Tank Farm Owners of Nigeria (JEPTFON), which is a sub-union under NUPENG.

Comrade Okougbo said the Federal Government had hitherto reached an agreement with the union in 2010, but clearly left out the implementation of some grey areas.

He said the government failed to implement a section of the agreement which bordered on a 15-year time frame to pay back all the loans acquired from various banks to meet the demand of fuel importation by members of JEPTFON.

In the communique, Comrade Okougbo indicated the intention of the union to go on strike and explained that the banks where JEPTFON members acquired loans to aid the importation of petroleum products had been calling on them to pay back those loans.

He said the situation had become so grave that the union was compelled to write the Federal Government, pleading with it to intervene by prevailing on the banks to allow the 15 years repayment plan and 3 per cent interest rate for its members.

Comrade Okougbo, also said most of their members had been forced to prune down their staff strength to be able to meet up with the loan repayment deal.

According to him, no further notification will be given to government at the expiration of the 72 hours deadline, except the Federal Government intervenes, noting that only the State Security Services (SSS) had shown interest in their plight by appealing to them to stay action because of the curent security challenges in the country.

He said another letter dated January 10, 2012, detailing their grievances and entitled: “The Fledgling Policy on Automotive Gasoil (AGO) and its Negative Effect on our members” had been sent to the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, and copied the National Security Adviser, Minister of Labour, the Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria, Executive Secretary, PPPRA; Group Managing Director, NNPC; Director-General, SSS and a host of other relevant stakeholders, but there was still no favourable response.

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