NUPENG, PENGASSAN Threaten Strike Over Agip, Arco Face-off

The Port Harcourt zone of the National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) and the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) have threatened to embark on an industrial action as a result of the prolonged face-off between the Nigeria Agip Oil Company (NAOC) and its contractor, Arco Petroleum (Nigeria) Plc.
Recall that Arco filed a suit before the Federal High Court, against Agip, Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Conoco Philips Petroleum Nigeria Limited and the Nigeria Petroleum Investment Management Services (NAPIMS), asking the court to determine whether it is not entitled, being a Nigerian company, to the exclusive right to be considered and granted such contract including any extension of its duration.

The firm is asking the court to determine whether in view of the provision of section 3 subsections (2) and (3) of the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry Content Development Act, 2010, having demonstrated ownership of equipment, Nigerian personnel and capacity to execute the task of performing the contract for the maintenance service of rotating equipment at the Nigerian Agip Oil Company gas plants at OB/OB, Ebocha and Kwale, it is entitled to the exclusive right to be considered and granted such contract including any extension of its duration.

The two unions, in a joint press statement issued in Port Harcourt, alleged that NAOC has ordered staff of Arco to vacate its facilities at OB/OB, Ebocha and Kwale to pave way for a new contractor, Plantgeria, to take over the maintenance of the facilities.