As the nation marks the New Year day celebration tomorrow, Wednesday, January 1, 2014, the country may be plunged into another inglorious experience of the 2012 Occupy Nigeria, though a lighter version this time around.
This is because the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers, NUPENG, and members of the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria, PENGASSAN, have concluded plans to embark on an industrial action same day to kick against the proposed sale of Nigeria’s four refineries by the Federal Government in 2014.
This is coming after the two unions had warned the Federal Government on Tuesday, December 17, 2013 that they would go on a nationwide strike from January 1, 2014.
Information gathered by Aproko247 from some residents in Abuja suggests that some petrol stations in the capital city are getting ready for the industrial action.
However, those in Lagos are not anticipating the strike action as most fuel stations visited by our correspondent were selling PMS (Premium Motor Spirit, fuel consumed by cars) to their customers.
“As you can see, we are selling ‘fuel’ (PMS) to people. We are aware of the proposed strike, but we don’t think it is a serious one to worry about,” one of the petrol attendants in Idimu area of Lagos told our reporter.
Also, a manager at one of the petrol stations in Igando said, “NUPENG and PENSASSAN are just trying to cause panic. We are selling fuel to people, even though we are aware that they won’t supply us fuel later in the week.”
Meanwhile, as at press time, Aproko247 was unable to speak with any officials of the two unions.
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