Oil workers

Workers in the Oil and Gas industry have raised concerns over the fate of workers following the commencement of key clauses in the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA).

The concerns were raised in a statement signed by the General Secretaries, Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria, and the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers, Mr Lumumba Okugbawa and Mr Olawale Afolabi, respectively, on Friday.

Both leaders expressed worry over the omission of their representatives in the PIA steering committee, as provide for by the Act.

The duo said that the committee would have helped to ensure that workers’ interests were adequately protected and treated with equity, fairness and justice.

According to them, since the assent of the PIA, the unions had consistently conveyed their concerns to government and had also enumerated them in a letter sent to all stakeholders recently.

“In the correspondence, we communicated the need for the steering committee to urgently meet with the leadership committee set up by the two unions.

“This is to ensure that the following terms of reference, including to see to an accountable, all-inclusive and transparent execution and implementation of the PIA to the letter.

“Also, to ensure that the rights and privileges of workers in the affected institutions are protected and that no Nigerian loses his or her job because of the Act, ” the two union leaders said.