Strike: federal government and PENGASSAN meeting ends deadlocked.

The meeting between representatives of the Federal Government and leaders of Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) over the ongoing industrial action by the union could not yield any result yesterday.

The meeting, which was held at the NNPC Towers, Abuja, lasted several hours behind closed doors, but could not provide any way forward to the industrial crisis.

It was, however, learnt that the meeting will continue in Abuja today at the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment at the Federal Secretariat. Speaking on the shifting of the meeting, the PENGASSAN President, Olabode Johnson, said the meeting was adjourned for the parties to fine-tune areas of discussion, arguing that the meeting was not deadlocked. “We did not adjourn the meeting because the meeting was deadlocked.

We had to push it forward to tomorrow because we wanted to fine-tune the areas of discussion. “The issues we discussed included the need to curb the anti-labour practices in the sector and the payment of cash calls and the way going forward. We also discussed the rehabilitation of the roads that lead to the Warri Refinery as well as that of Mosimi. We also deliberated on the PIB and the need for government to move quickly to ensure its passage,” he said.

The PENGASSAN President also said members of the National Executive Council (NEC) are expected in Abuja today to deliberate on the outcome of the meeting.

“We have sent letters of invitation to our NEC members to a meeting in Abuja for tomorrow (today). The meeting is called in order for the organ to deliberate on the outcomes of our parley with government.

The NEC will meet after the meeting with the Federal Government team to examine the outcome of the meeting and then take a decision on the on-going strike action by PENGASSAN,” he said. He added that the strike action continues today even as the parley gets underway.

The union is agitating for the implementation of agreements contained in May 12, 2016 communiqué as the reason for calling for the strike.