Oil  production threatened as PENGASSAN hints at total  shutdown..Omar explains delay   Newsdiaryonline  Wed Jan 11,2012

Nigeria’s oil production  may soon be hit by the mass protests going on against the removal of fuel subsidy.A statement by PENGASSAN said  today that “Now that the Federal Government has  decided to  be callous minded”, it has directed  oil platforms  to be put on red alert in preparation for  total production shutdown.

The  statement said “PENGASSAN  is fully in support  of the action by NLC and TUC .As an affiliate of TUC ,industrial action commenced on Monday,January 9,2012 in all of our offices across the nation and all offices all offices are closed.” 

This is believed to be the sort of development that will hit the government much harder as the international impact of production shutdown could be devastating.Comrade Abdulwaheed Omar,NLC president  told journalists in Abuja  that oil production had not been shut down yet  because the protest was being prosecuted in stages.He said labour and activists are patriots who know the implication of sudden shut down of oil production,which may equally have long standing technical implications.

Now,  it appears like the refusal of the presidency to meet the basis condition to end the strike: return to N65 per litre, may have forced labour to put oil platforms on red alert, preparatory to a shutdown.

The Press Release

Current Strike Action - PENGASSAN STAND

 In the light of the current situation in the country, which has necessitated the ongoing strike action now at it's third day, it beholds on me as PENGASSAN President to make the following statements:

 1 PENGASSAN is fully in support of the action as directed by NLC & TUC. We hereby thank all Nigerians for their resolve on this peaceful mass protest.

 2 As an affiliate of TUC, industrial action commenced on Monday, January 9, 2012 in all of our offices across the nation and all offices are closed.

 3. In line with the above, no report is currently being generated from production locations to both DPR and FGN. This is one of the very first step in shut down process.

4. We believe that a Government that is alive to it's responsibilities will not allow this strike to degenerate thus far.

 5. Now that the Federal Government has decided to be callous minded, we hereby direct all production platforms to be on red alert in preparation for total production shutdown.

6. We reiterate that before the removal of fuel subsidy, some conditions must be met. These are: Fixing of the four refineries and building new ones, regular power supply, provision of social infrastructures such as rail system and roads and crucially the elimination of corruption associated with supply and distribution of petroleum products in the downstream sector of the oil industry. All Nigerians should please note that the fuel subsidy issue is only a tip of the iceberg amidst a plethora of issues needing urgent redress.

 We hereby call on all Nigerians not to be weary, but keep faith in the collective will of the people to liberate us from this miss-rule.

 Signed  Babatunde Ogun

 President, PENGASSAN