PRESS RELEASE
[dropcap]T[/dropcap]he Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) and the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) read with rude shock and total dismay the purported Service Level Agreement (SLA) reached between the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) and the Oil Producers Trade Section (OPTS) and therefore condemn it in its entirety and see the SLA as an unwholesome act.
It is ridiculous and unfortunate that the NCDMB allowed desperate OPTS to arm-twist it into making mockery of the key thrust of the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry Content Development (NOGICD) Act of 2010, vis a vis maximizing participation of Nigerians in the Oil and Gas activities as well as maximizing the utilization capacity of Nigerian resources, i.e. goods, services and assets.
The Unions wonder what sort of maximization of Nigerian’s participation in the Oil and Gas businesses will arise from the reduction of the contract circle to a mere six months duration, rather, it is our belief that it will lead to further impoverishment of indigenous contractors and workers in the Oil and Gas industry.
We are very sure that the prevailing indecent and precarious work condition in the Industry will further be accentuated by the reduction of contract circle to six (6) months duration. A situation which this injurious Agreement signed on Wednesday, May 9, 2018 sought to champion, and which is nothing short of slave-labour in our opinion.
The Unions express worries that such Agreement will in no way help to deepen the skill acquisition and expertise of Nigerians because of the likelihood of International Oil Companies (IOCs) and Indigenous Oil Companies who may want to ridiculously exploit such Agreement for their pecuniary advantage.
Any Agreement that fails to address the issues of decent and sustainable jobs for Nigerians in the Oil and Gas industry would be vehemently resisted in whatever guise they appear.
NUPENG and PENGASSAN conclude that it is indeed unfortunate and sad that the views and opinions of Unions in the Oil and Gas industry are not regarded worthy of consideration in the course of work of Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) yet the Board was specifically set up by law for the reason of maximizing decent and sustainable participation of Nigerians in the Oil and Gas industry.
With humility and without sounding disputatious or belligerent, NUPENG and PENGASSAN however call on all relevant stakeholders involved in this Agreement to immediately have a rethink of their decision in the overall interest of Nigeria.
Signed
Comrade Prince Williams Akporeha Comrade Francis O. Johnson
National President President (PENGASSAN)
Comrade Adamu Song Comrade Lumumba I. Okugbawa
General Secretary (NUPENG) General Secretary (PENGASSAN)
