Some residents in Port Harcourt on Tuesday called on the striking oil workers not take embark on actions that would worsen the economic situation in the country.
The Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) and Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) are on a three-day warning strike.
They are protesting over some issues, including the delay in the passage of Petroleum Industry Bill casualisation and contract staffing.
The Port Harcourt residents told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that it was important that all stakeholders should pool their resources with a view to making the economy strong rather than weaken it.
Mr Chima Uba told NAN that the industrial action was capable of retarding business activities in the country.
Uba said that industrial action was not proper, adding that the best solution was dialogue.
He urged the oil workers to close ranks with Federal Government to build the nation’s economy.
“Members of both PENGASSAN and the Federal Government are all Nigerians. It is very important for each of them to think Nigeria first.
‘’While we expect the Federal Government to do the needful, we also expect the striking workers to consider what the citizenry will go through because of their action,’’ Uba said.
Another respondent, Mr Ben Worlu, appealed to the striking workers to return to their duty posts, but blamed the Federal Government for the strike.
Worlu said the strike would do the nation’s economy more harm than good at this period.
Mr Ken West said strikes were not the best of options to resolve industrial disputes, adding that he was optimistic that the Federal Government would avert full-blown strike by the oil workers.
He appealed to the striking workers to return to work in the interest of the citizenry. Also in Benin residents on Tuesday urged the Federal Government and striking oil workers to resolve their differences and save the nation from the hardship associated with fuel scarcity. A resident, Mrs Beatrice Osemudiamen told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that the strike was capable of ruining the Christmas and New Year celebrations.
She said though it was a warning strike, concerted efforts should be made by all the parties involved to ensure that it did not degenerate to a full-blown strike.
Mr John Omoruyi said it was unfortunate that the citizenry were made to face hardship associated with fuel scarcity virtually every Christmas.
“It is now a trend that about this period of every year the people will face the challenge of fuel scarcity.
“The most painful aspect of it is that it is a period when the people travel to be with their loved ones,” he said.
It would be recalled that the PENGASSAN had issued a three-day warning strike over issues bordering on workers and the sector.
However, the NNPC has assured that the strike will not affect distribution and sale of the product across the country.
A pump attendant who simply identified himself as Igbinosa told NAN that his filling station ran out stock on Monday. He said they were waiting to re-stock, though he could not say when the stock would arrive.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that queues, which became visible in most filling stations on Monday, worsened on Tuesday as motorists struggled to get the petroleum products.
Though the fuel stations have maintained the official price of N95 per litre, it was clear that most of the popular stations have run out of the product.
The Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) mega station on Sapele road stopped sales Monday afternoon.
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