There appears to be a division between the two unions representing oil workers in Nigeria as to whether to embark on a nationwide strike or not.
Tokunbo Korodo, The South West Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers, NUPENG, said a meeting with representatives of the federal government, which was scheduled to take place on Thursday has been shifted till Monday, July 11.
He noted that NUPENG remains open to the option of dialogue to ensure Nigerians are not made to suffer unnecessarily as a result of the strike.
However, Emmanuel Ojugbana, National Public Relations Officer, Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria, PENGASSAN, insisted that all was set for the planned strike.
He added that the gradual method of shutting down activities and operations in the oil and gas sector is being adopted by its members.
He also said the Department of Petroleum Resources, DPR, the Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency, PPPRA, and the Petroleum Equalisation Fund, PEF, will also be affected during the strike.
Olabode Johnson, National president of PENGASSAN, also said in a television interview that the strike was stalled only to allow their Muslim counterparts, who had been fasting during the Ramadan period, to participate in the Eid-el-Fitri celebration.
He added that the strike will go on even as the associations continue to dialogue with the government.