NUPENG,PENGASSAN Supports Fuel Subsidy Removal, Demands New Minimum Wage

The National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers and the Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers Senior Staff Association have thrown their weight behind the increase in the price of petrol by the Federal Government.
The two unions took the position at their joint National Executive Committee meeting in Calabar, Cross River State.
They, however, told the government to put certain measures in place.
Part of the communique of the NEC meeting reads: “The NEC-in-session had an extensive discussion on the recent price modulation. The NEC-in-session is of the view that price deregulation has its benefits in the immediate and near future. However, the NEC-in-session strongly demands the Federal Government’s engagement with the stakeholders to work out a clear direction on how to reinvest the gains into the economy to cushion the effect of the price.
“The NEC-in-Session after an exhaustive deliberation of all these resultant effects, resolves that, there is an urgent need for a paradigm shift and a new direction in the management of new investment and income in the oil and gas industry, but with critical proviso, among which include:
• Government must ensure optimal performance of the existing refineries and also put in place machinery for the construction of new refineries in the country to ensure adequate production for domestic consumption and possibly export
• Immediate commencement of negotiation of minimum wage for workers across all cadres.
• Engagement of critical stakeholders for the Federal government to provide a road map with timelines of the infrastructures to intend to embark upon with the proceeds from this price modulation to cushion the harsh effects of the new direction.
• Immediate reconstitution of the board of PPPRA and PEF for the management of the new price regime
• The reconstitution and the re-strengthening of relevant agencies such as Standard Organization of Nigeria (SON), DPR and the Nigeria Customs and Excise Department to prevent the abuse of the new framework of PMS supply and distributions.”