The Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) has ordered the shutdown of the entire oil and gas industry by 12 noon on Monday if its 21 members detained by the Rivers State government are not released by then.
The group also ordered the shutdown of all oil export terminals as well as oil production and maintenance depots beginning from midnight on Sunday, in protest of the continuing detention of the 21 ExxonMobil oil workers, by the Rivers State government.
The association in a statement by its President, Comrade Nduka Ohaeri and General Secretary, Comrade Lumumba Okugbawa said all efforts to make the Rivers State Government release the workers who were on essential duties, have failed.
The union said: “Recall that on Thursday the 16th of April 2020, we raised the alarm over the illegal arrest and detention of 21(19 male and 2 female) member staff of ExxonMobil by the Rivers State Police Command on the pretext that they violated the State Executive Order on the prevention of movement to curtail the spread of the Coronavirus in the state.
“It is more than 48 hours today that these patriotic workers who were lured from the border between Rivers and Akwa Ibom are still detained under inhabitable and inhuman conditions and denied access to basic necessities of life at Elekhahia Stadium. All entreaties to the Rivers State Government to see reasons that they were on essential duties which is for the economic interest of the country have been rebuffed.
“Also, it has become obvious that the Federal Government who through the Presidential Task Force on the COVID-19 Pandemic cannot guarantee access to work locations for our members who have volunteered to sacrifice their lives and comfort to salvage the country from the impending economic crisis occasioned by this world-wide”.
PENGASSAN explained that the “Federal Government and relevant authorities having failed to secure the release of these 21 comrades on legitimate national assignment, the leadership of Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN), having no other option regrettably direct all our members to commence the withdrawal of services as follows;
“By midnight Sunday 19th April 2020, all Export facilities will stop operation as well as suspension of production & maintenance services reports.
“That by 12 noon on Monday 20th April all our members will withdraw all forms of services relating to crude oil production, refining, distribution and supplies”.
It stated that “this directive will remain in force until assurances of our members’ safety are guaranteed by Federal Government. We are in consultation with our units, branches and other sister Unions who will also be joining the action as the safety of our members is our uttermost priority”.
Governor Nyesome Wike had told journalists that the oil workers were arrested for entering Rivers State illegally. The state is currently on lockdown as part of measures to curb the spread of Covid-19.
Wike said the ExxonMobil staff were arrested while entering Rivers State from Eket, Akwa Ibom State, through the East-West Road.
He said: “Yesterday (Thursday), it was ExxonMobil that brought 22 people into Rivers State. Although, service commanders, including the Commissioner of Police, are pleading that we should allow them to return to Uyo. I know their predicament because they take orders from Abuja.
“But, this one, I will fight this one. I have told the Attorney-General to prepare; we are going to court against them. We will fight this fight legally. ExxonMobil cannot bring in 22 people illegally into Rivers State.
“ExxonMobil does not operate in Rivers State. They only make use of the Onne Port. We are not sure of the health status of the people they brought into the state because they can enter Eleme and Onne communities.
“We cannot leave corporate bodies who are not obeying the laws while akara and groundnut sellers are being charged to court in Lagos. This ExxonMobil matter will expose those in Abuja. I am ready for them. Rivers State is not a pariah state and we will not be.”
But President Muhammadu Buhari in declaring restriction of movements in parts of the country exempted oil workers, classifying the oil sector as essential service.
Oil and gas export form major part of government revenue and any disruption would prove very costly for the economy that is already struggling due to the global outbreak of the Coronavirus.
