Protesting members of the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) on Thursday threatened to shut down oil production in Nigeria for 30 days if the Federal Government fails to curb the lingering massive oil theft in the Niger Delta.
Union members staged protests in various parts of Nigeria, including Abuja, Warri in Delta State, Kaduna and Port Harcourt in Rivers State.
Our correspondent’s findings showed that if the workers implement their threat, Nigeria might lose about N1.37trn from the non-production and sale of crude oil, a major foreign exchange revenue earner for the country.
Speaking at the sensitisation rally that was held at the Delta State Governor’s Office Annexe in Warri, the PENGASSAN Zonal Chairman, Prince Audu Osihiokhamele, noted with concern that “the big men doing the business of crude oil theft are in government.”
He added, “They say they load vessels, but we don’t see any. Is it a needle?”
He then declared that the authorities’ failure to find lasting solutions to the menace would push PENGASSAN to take more drastic action.
“We will shut down the country for 30 days until we all come to the round table to unravel the mysteries surrounding the thefts,” Osihiokhamele stated.
He added, “PENGASSAN will resort to shutting down production for 30 days by withdrawing members, both onshore and offshore, wherever they are producing crude, should the government fail to hearken to this warning.”
