Another fuel scarcity looms

If the letter by the General Secretary of Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN), Comrade Lumumba Okugbawa, is anything to go by, then Nigerians are in for another round of fuel scarcity.

In a letter to all branch chairmen across the country, the Union directed it’s members to withdraw their services from 12 midnight 8th November, 2020.

In the letters which reads in part: “We refer to the above letter dated November 2nd, 2020 where we gave a 7-days ultimatum and further extension to the relevant government agencies and institutions. Regrettably and upon expiration of the ultimatum, nothing concrete has been done with regards to the outstanding issues as enumerated in the letter.

The Union had in September staged a peaceful protest at the entrance of the federal ministry of finance demanding that the government pay outstanding salaries of its members that had been stopped by the government.

In a bid to block leakages and reduce rising wage bill, the federal government directed every worker on its payroll to enroll on the Independent Personnel Payroll Information System (IPPIS). And it has gone ahead to withhold the salary of those that are yet to enroll on IPPIS including PENGASSAN members that are under it’s payroll.

The Union urged the branch chairmen to “ensure that your Branch members fully comply with the directive while you wait further directive,’ General Secretary, Okugbawa added.

The federal government has also been drawn in a long battle with the Academic Staff Union of Nigerian Universities (ASUU) over IPPIS.

Meanwhile, some motorists have been filling their tanks in anticipation of a full blown strike.

A motorist told Blueprint that he went this morning to fill his tank. The motorist who spoke on condition of anonymity said “I brought full tank this morning even though I know i know the strike won’t last long.”
Source: Blueprint.ng