In recent times, Niger Delta militants have launched series of attacks on oil and gas facilities in the region.
The organised labour has warned that the multifaceted crises in the Niger Delta region and oil sector were grinding the nation and its economy to a halt.
According to Vanguard, the labour movement therefore urged the federal government to explore better and creative ways to address the Niger Delta crisis.
Speaking through the general secretary of National Union of Textile, Garment and Tailoring Workers of Nigeria, NUTGTWN, Issa Aremu, labour called on the Muhammadu Buhari administration to initiate strong industrial policies to end the serial sabotage, attacks by militants, job losses and workers’ strikes and other persistent crises facing the oil and gas industry.
Aremu also urged the government to intensify negotiation with Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria, (PENGASSAN) with a view to resolving the issues which led to the ongoing industrial action by the union.
He said it was time for Nigeria to imitate other OPEC member countries by putting a stop to the endless crises in the petroleum sector through sustainable industrial policy and effective implementation of labour standards.
He said such policy should include the promotion of collective bargaining, income adequacy for the workers, job security, promotion of dialogue between industry and trade unions and enforcement of labour laws that restrict precarious work.
The labour leader added that government needed to implement real diversification of the economy by starting with oil and gas industry through value-added processing and manufacturing, which promote mass job creation, transfers of skills and technologies.
He said: “It was unacceptable that Nigeria exports limited crude oil and gas, whilst same time importing wholesale value-added petroleum based products such as diesel, jet fuel, fuel oil, fertilizers, etc with attendant loss of scarce foreign exchange, loss of few jobs at home and even scandalous export of jobs.”
Meanwhile, militant group, Niger Delta Avengers (NDA) has attacked another crude oil export pipeline.
Brig.Gen Mudoch Agbinibo, the spokesperson of the group stated this in a statement made available to NAIJ.com.
The Avengers have launched a series of attacks on oil and gas facilities the Niger Delta region of Nigeria since February.
The group is agitating for a greater share of Nigeria’s oil wealth among communities living in the region and has also demanded greater self-determination for the region.
