The national leadership of Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) has alerted its members to be on standby for nationwide industrial action against the violent disruption of the peaceful protest by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) in Kaduna State allegedly orchestrated by the Governor, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai.
Kaduna State was on Tuesday shut down following the peaceful protest called by the NLC to compel Governor El-Rufai to reverse the sacking of workers and pays those who were sacked about four years ago.
The NLC President, Comrade Ayuba Wabba personally led the protest which was part of a five-day warning strike called by the apex workers’ organisation in the country.
In a statement on Tuesday evening signed by NUPENG’s National President, Comrade Williams Akporeha and the General Secretary, Comrade Afolabi Olawale, the Union told its members to be prepared to be called out for nationwide strike “…at very short notice of five hours..” against what it described as El-Rufai’s “…arrogance and power-drunk ego…”.
A copy of the statement sent to NewsNet reads in full below:
The National Leadership of NUPENG is deeply saddened by the violent turn of NLC peaceful protests by the dictatorial and despotic regime of Governor Nasir El-Rufai in Kaduna State.
The Leadership of the Union is therefore calling on the Federal Government to immediately call on Kaduna State Governor Mallam Nasir El-Rufai to order before his arrogance and power-drunk ego further push the situation into horrendous calamity as he has been doing in all issues relating to human lives and wellbeing.
Consequently, the Union reiterates that no Labour Leaders or workers as the case may be, be harmed, harassed, maimed, humiliated or victimized during this 5-day peaceful protests in the State.
Our Union is raising this alarm following the very reliable report of the clandestine move of Governor Nasir El-Rufai to hurt and put the lives of NLC President, Comrade Ayuba Wabba and other Labour Leaders to danger in his usual blind egotistical style of running government in the State
NUPENG, therefore, warns that if any harm is inflicted on any of the members of organized Labour, the Leadership of the Union will not hesitate to call on all our members throughout the nation for a total shut down of all our services in the upstream, midstream and downstream sectors of the oil and gas industry.
ln the light of the above, we are therefore putting all NUPENG members nationwide on red alert and may at very short notice of five hours call for a nationwide industrial action if the situation arises.
Our solidarity remains constant!!! for the Union makes us strong!!!
