Striking Oil Workers Meet FG, Insist On Passage Of PIB

           Striking oil workers have met the Supervising Minister of Labour, Mister Tanimu Turaki to resolve the industrial dispute with the government.

The aggrieved oil workers accused the government and the international oil companies of non-passage of the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) and unhealthy labour practices in the oil sector.

While the Supervising Minister promised the unions of government’s commitment to resolve all issues they raised, the striking workers expressed doubt on the willingness of the international oil companies to implement resolutions of their meetings.

Long queues returned to petrol stations in Abuja, the nation’s capital city and other cities including Kaduna, as motorists engaged in panic buying of petrol, while unionists continue to chant solidarity songs, promising to enforce their industrial action unless government takes steps to address the issues.

The House of Representatives had on June 2 said it would do its best to ensure that the Petroleum Industry Bill “is passed soon”.

However, since that promise was made at the 3rd Downstream Stakeholders’ Conference of the House Committee on Petroleum Downstream in Abuja on Monday, the Deputy Speaker, House of Representatives, Mr Emeka Ihedioha, till date the Bill has still not been passed.