BREAKING: NUPENGASSAN Shuts OML 98 Over Unpaid Financial Benefits To Pan Ocean Workers

By Phil Abba, Warri
The joint union of Nigeria Union of Petroleum And Natural Gas Workers and the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria on Wednesday, December 9, 2020, shutdown OML 98, the Pan Ocean Flow Station field now being partially taken over by NPDC at Ovade Oghara, Delta State.

The shutting down of the flow station will cause Nigeria’s economy further to bleak as the country begins losing 30 thousand barrel per day crude as well as 50 million cubic of gas daily and it has plunged Egbin Power plant and those areas and states they supply into darkness.

The National body of the two union NUPENGASSAN had ordered for the shutting down of the flow station due to several months of unpaid severances of the Pan Ocean workers which the management and federal government have signed more than seven months ago.

They are however angry that after several months of writing series of letters of reminder to Pan Ocean, NNPC, DPR, NAPIMS as well as Ministry of Labour and Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, there is no attention and attempt to pay them.

They noted that NPDC has commenced taken over the facility but they haven’t rolled over workers as it is the norm practiced in the oil and gas industry .

OML 98 and OML 147 Oredo and other companies flowing through Pan Ocean flow station have all been affected as 30 thousand barrel per day crude oil goes off Nigeria quantum of crude daily production.

It could be recalled that the NUPENG Branch Chairman, Comrade Aboy Udi, PENGASSAN Branch Chairman, Comrade Rex Aibangbee as well as 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 and directed that they shutdown operations if NNPC, NAPIMS Ministry of Petroleum doesn’t resolve the issue amicably by paying the workers what is due them.