Workers of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), under the aegis of the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN), have embarked on an indefinite nationwide strike over welfare and other administrative grievances.
It was further learnt that the industrial action commenced after efforts to resolve welfare and administrative grievances failed, causing the aggrieved employees to start enforcement of a total shutdown.
The development stranded some of the workers who came to the office at the gates of the offices of the regulator.
It was further learnt that after a series of negotiations between staff representatives and management on demands over long-standing industrial issues, including institutional governance, staff welfare, promotions and training opportunities collapsed, the aggrieved workers resorted to the strike.
Sources said the workers had demanded a review of the current cost-of-collection structure, particularly the one per cent allocation to the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA).
According to the workers, the modality weakened the upstream regulator’s operational efficiency and financial capacity.
The workers, it was gathered, also accused NUPRC’s leadership of adopting an operator-style approach to regulation, which they opined overlapped in responsibilities within the wider petroleum regulatory framework.
Sources also said that the workers expect to be paid according to oil and gas remuneration structures to avoid compromise as regulators but that there is a liquidity problem.
The aggrieved employees also alleged that the commission’s management was paying lip service to staff development and career progression, as well as capacity building for NUPRC’s junior and senior personnel.
Confirming the industrial action, NUPRC’s Head, Media and Corporate Communications, Eniola Akinkuotu, told our reporter that “it is true that some administrative activities were affected today due to industrial action taken by the unions. However, this has not in any way impacted activities in oil and gas facilities or production in general.
He added that the top management of the commission is meeting with the unions in order to put an end to the strike and ultimately restore normalcy.
On his part, the Acting General Secretary of PENGASSAN, Jerry Amah also said the workers’ action is not a serious incident and would be resolved very soon.
