-As NUPENGASSAN, Pan Ocean workers give firm, FG 48 hrs ultimatum to shutdown operations
For refusing to abide to several months ago agreement signed by the management of Pan Ocean and the Nigerian Petroleum Ministry, the Group General Managing Director as well as NAPIMS and ministry of Labour over their severances package, the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers, NUPENG and Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria, PENGASSAN branch have threatened shutting down all operations of Pan Ocean Oil Corporation (Nigeria) Limited declaring that Nigeria to loss over thirty thousand barrel of crude oil per day and about 56 million cubic gas per day if they down tolls.
This much was made known to newsmen Friday December 4 at Pan Ocean field at Ovade, Oghara, Ethiope East Local Government Area, Delta State during the workers Union of NUPENGASSAN joint Union peaceful protest to press forward their demands for better welfare and payment of all entitlement due them by the company’s management and Federal government through NNPC, NAPIMS and other relevant agencies.
According to the Pan Ocean branch NUPENG Chairman, Comrade Aboy Udi and his PENGASSAN counterpart, Comrade Rex Aibangbee they disclosed that OML 98 which belongs to Pan Ocean Oil Cooperation license was revoked and reissued to NPDC by DPR without settling workers, hence their peaceful protest demanding for total payment of severance and remittances of their over 33 months owed pensions before NPDC can take over operation and roll over workers as they NPDC has already started working in the facilities.
The NUPENGASAN joint Union branch executive leaders, Comrade Udi and Comrade Aibangbee noted that when NPDC took over other fields in same Delta State they rolled over workers and workers there were paid their severance without any issue, they pointed out that for about seven months after signing agreement on payment of their severances with Federal government through ministry of labour NNPC, NAPIMS, they have not shown any attention to their plight, he added they have also written series of reminder letters to NNPC GMB, Mele Kyari office without any response which necessitated the peaceful protest.
The NUPENG National PRO, Comrade Cogent Ojobor and PENGASSAN Warri Zonal Council Vice Chairman, Comrade Prince Audu Peter Oshiokhamele with NUPENGASSAN National President, Williams Eniredonana Akporehe and PENGASSAN National President comrade, Comrade Osifo Festus both unanimously declared and gave Pan Ocean and federal government as well as relevant agencies 48 hours starting from December 7, to meet up the demands of the workers or they shutdown their operations they reiterated that the two union presidents have agreed and directed that they shutdown operations if NNPC, NAPIMS Ministry of Petroleum doesn’t resolve the issue amicably by paying the workers what’s due them.
The NUPENGASSAN joint Union officers called on government to do the needful, adding that if they shutdown the Pan Ocean field at Ovade in Oghara facilities it will affect other companies especially Oredo field and other oil com pansies flowing their crude through them, they noted that OML 147, OML 98, NPDC Oredo, the gas plant supplying Egbin power plant will be plunge into darkness and Pan Ocean will be losing 30 thousand barrel of crude oil per day, adding that it would be serious economic loss to Nigeria they appealed to the federal government to do something urgent to answer their demands in order to avert the possible shutdown.
Operations Base Office of the company situated at KM 10 Sapele Road, Benin City, and the Ovade – Ogharefe Gas Plant Processing Facility & Flow-Station in Ovade, Oghara, Delta State will also be affected.
The Union also accused the management of Pan Ocean and the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation NNPC of insincerity and impunity in handling the affairs of the employees of OML-98 following the gradual take over by NPDC without following due process.
They assured workers that non will be declared redundant and that all services will be transfered to the new management and reaffirmed their total no going back of shutting down production of Pan Ocean Flow station commencing December 7 midnight.
The Pan Ocean NUPENGASSAN joint Union were led by some of their National officers, Comrade Ojobor, Comrade Oshiokhomele and the two branch NUPENGASAN chairmen Comrades Aibangbee and Udi they marched to the Pan Ocean Ovade Flow station field entrance at Benin/Sapele expressway at Oghara for an awareness peaceful protest which lasted for about 30 minutes they addressed newsmen and used the avenue to appeal to relevant authorities to come to their aid in order to avert the economic loss Nigeria may plunge into as a result of some peoples negligence and greed.
