by Laila Ibrahim
The Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) and the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN), have suspended their five-day old strike. The industrial action was suspended after a meeting with petroleum minister, Diezani Allison-Madueke.
The oil workers had on Monday embarked on an indefinite strike because of the NNPC’s alleged refusal to address in-house pension issues concerning workers in the oil industry.
A communiqué which was jointly signed by PENGASSAN president, Francis Johnson and permanent secretary in the Ministry of Petroleum Resources, Jamila Shu’ara, was read by NUPENG president, Achese Igwe, on Friday after the meeting, stating that the industrial action was suspended after the intervention of Mrs. Allison-Madueke.
The strike crippled power supply across Nigeria, with many states in the federation experiencing blackout for days.
Energy provides everything from economic growth to sustainable civilizations. Basically without energy there is no bulk production of food, employment, transport, education or medical facilities Not just the basics of civilization but all the luxury items as well. Those of us that have energy can’t live without it. A sustainable and affordable energy supply is no longer enough. Nigeria should strive to have an independent energy supply