Africa Press-Nigeria:
Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers, NUPENG, yesterday expressed serious concerns over the risk exposures of members in the informal sector of the petroleum industry because of their daily exposures and contacts with all manners of people in the cause of their work.
In a statement by its President and General Secretary, Prince Williams Akporeha and Afolabi Olawale, respectively, threatened to withdraw members from in the informal sector from their duty posts in the next 72 hours if the risk exposures worsened.
Specifically, NUPENG said members at high risk include the Petroleum Tanker Drivers, PTD, Petrol Station Workers, PSW, Petroleum Depots Workers, PDW, Independent Marketers Employees, IME, Oil and Gas Suppliers, OGS, Surface Tankers Kerosene Peddlers, SUKATEP, Liquefied Petroleum Gas Retailers, LPGAR, etc.
The statement read in part “In view of the growing cases of the deadly Coronavirus, COVID 19, pandemic and the stay at home orders given by the Federal Government and states governments, the leadership of the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers, NUPENG, is seriously concerned with the health and safety of our very vulnerable members who are rendering critical services to the nation on a daily basis in these critical times. These sets of workers include the Petroleum Tanker Drivers, Petrol Stations Workers, Petroleum Products Depots Workers and others who in the course of serving the nation become highly vulnerable to the virus.
“NUPENG wishes to inform all these members and other stakeholders in the Downstream Sector of the Nigeria Oil and Gas Industry to diligently follow international protocols, including the recommended health and safety measures by the World Health Organization, WHO, and Nigeria Centre for Disease Control, NCDC, by maintaining social distancing, excellent personal hygiene and keeping the work environment safe while discharging their essential services in the downstream sector of the industry and to the general public.
“At this crucial time, NUPENG is seriously monitoring the unfolding situation while also putting into account the safety and welfare of these vulnerable and integral segments of our membership which are of paramount concern to us.
“In the light of the above, the Union may be forced to give some harsh but necessary and important directives within the next 72 hours with respect to the safety of these set of workers who are our members in the informal sector, and they include the Petroleum Tanker Drivers, PTD, Petrol Station Workers, PSW, Petroleum Depots Workers, Independent Marketers Employees, Oil and Gas Suppliers, OGS, Surface Tankers Kerosene Peddlers, SUKATEP, Liquefied Petroleum Gas Retailers, LPGAR, etc.
“Meanwhile, NUPENG is also using this opportunity to encourage all our members across the country to continue to adhere strictly to social distancing and high level of hygienic behaviour at work, at home, on the streets and with everyone they interface within their daily activities so as to reduce the spread of the contagious Covid-19 and keep the socio-economic activities of the country alive industrially, domestically and commercially.
“Rest assured that the leadership of the Union will not forsake you at this precarious moment and we equally urge you to remain, good ambassadors, law-abiding and disciplined in your conducts.
“It is our prayer that stakeholders in the health sector across the globe will find a lasting solution to this scourge so that the world could be safe and healthy for us to live in.”
