The strike at the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC has been suspended following talks between trade unions and the company's Group Managing Director, Ibe Kachikwu who doubles as the Minister of State for Petroleum.
The NNPC and trade union leaders announced the suspension of the strike on Thursday.
The 7000-strong Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria, PENGASSAN and the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers, NUPENG began the industrial action on Wednesday following what they described as the failure of the government to carry them along in the restructuring of the NNPC.
The NNPC said in a tweet that "The Group Executive Councils of PENGASSAN and NUPENG (have) resolved to support the restructuring and change process," and "the corporate-wide strike has been suspended" following deliberations.
The Acting General Secretary of PENGASSAN, Lumumba Okugbawa, while confirming the suspension of the strike said the decision was taken after 10 hours of exhaustive deliberations with Minister of State for Petroleum, Emmanuel Ibe Kachikwu, NNPC executives and labor union officials.
Meanwhile, the long queues at petrol stations are showing no signs of reducing with only a few stations dispensing the product.
Super Eagles’ interim Head Coach Samson Siasia, has announced March 21 as the deadline for foreign based Eagles to be in camp for the first leg of the double header of Africa Cup of Nations’ qualifying matches between the Super Eagles of Nigeria and the visiting Pharaohs of Egypt.
He said that it was important for the players to be in camp on time to allow them sufficient time to acclimatize to the hot weather conditions of Kaduna.
He assured that Nigeria would win against Egypt even though the match would be difficult.
“The spirit in camp is very good and everybody is fighting hard to snatch a shirt in the team. We don’t have to wait for the foreign based players to come before starting work. The home based players are professional players too and they are used to the weather here which may be another big deciding factor. If they do well at the training they have a big chance of playing against Egypt.
“So the deadline for the foreign based to come to camp should be March 21 because we will move to Kaduna the next day.
“We have to plan how we play. We don’t want to say everything now because it is a global village and we won’t like to reveal all our secrets and plans to the media. The Team Secretary, Dayo Enebi has been in constant contact with the foreign based players.
“I have also been sending messages to the ones that have been playing, wishing them good luck and injury free match before they play their league matches and they have been responding to the text messages too," he said.
The Secretary to the Government of the Federation, SGF, Mr David Babachir Lawal has hinted that James Elegbede, the driver of the Lexus SUV that killed the Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Barrister James Ocholi and two members of his family along Abuja-Kaduna road on Sunday may be prosecuted.
The interim report of the Federal Road Safety Commission, FRSC indicated that Elegbede was over speeding and had no driver's license
Lawal told State House correspondents after Wednesday's Federal Executive Council, FEC meeting that the final report on the accident would determine if the driver would be prosecuted.
“As to the issue of whether we would prosecute the driver, yes, Nigeria is not short of laws. The problem is that Nigerians find it very difficult to obey the laws.
“There is a speed limit in place and so if anybody chooses not to obey the traffic laws, of course, it is subject to prosecution by the agencies concerned. But as to this
particular incident, I think we will leave it until the final report of the investigation comes out.
“But, of course, as we say, accident is accident and nobody goes out deliberately to summersault and die, but as to allegations you claimed from the family, we are not aware and anybody who has anything to the contrary – that they didn’t die in an accident – is free to report to the law enforcement agencies who will appropriately take it up,” he said.
After 48 years of denial, war-time Head of State, Gen Yakubu Gowon has admitted that he is the father of Musa Gowon.
The development followed confirmation by DNA test.
Over the years, Gowon had denied having a love child with the late Edith Ike-Okongwu.
Musa recently returned to Nigeria after 23 years in a USA jail for drug trafficking.
In a statement he issued yesterday, the former Head of State requested for privacy for the Gowon family.
“Following years of doubt and speculation, a DNA test was conducted to ascertain the paternity of Musa Gowon, who recently returned to the country.
“The results of the tests were conclusive and they confirm his paternity. We, the family, are working to assist in his rehabilitation following a difficult period in his life.
“As we look forward to the future with faith in God, we request that our privacy be respected.”
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