Why We Called Off Strike Action-PENGASSAN

The Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria has said it called-off the proposed strike action, because the government has agreed to meet its demand.

The Association had embarked on an industrial action on Sunday, November 8 2020, over government’s failure to pay arrears of 22 months owed their members working with Nigerian Nuclear Regulatory Authority as well as government’s breach of agreement on the implementation of the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System to its members.

Speaking on the development, the President of PENGASSAN, Festus Osifo explained that the association called off the proposed strike following the positive response of the Federal Government to its demand.

He said, “We have called off the strike because we have gotten about 80 per cent of our demand and are expecting only about 20 percent.

“50 per cent of the 22 months salary arrears has been resolved now, about 50 per cent have been paid and we expect the other 50 per cent by the end of November.”

“Relatively, our strike action yielded a positive result, but we would advise the government not to always wait for us to go on strike before issues are being addressed, most of these issues have been there since 2014.”

Speaking on the impact of the fuel increase on Nigerians, Osifo stressed on the need for the government to be responsive to the welfare of the people by developing programs that seek to provide aid and cushion the impact of economic shocks on Nigerians.

He said, “In every developed economy, there are some sort of subsidy to ease the burden of the people, there should be programs that would readily cushion the impact of economic shocks on the people.

“Even with the unstable value of the dollar, if there is further devaluation of the naira, we are going to see an increase in the price of PMS which will further increase in prices of commodities.”