Kupolokun alerts on increasing vandalisation up north
By LADI PATRICK, Abuja

This was resolved yesterday in Abuja by the joint National Executive Council (NEC) of the bodies which urged all the workers to resume duties with effect from today, Friday September 15.

The decision of the oil workers・unions was read by Peter Esele, PENGASSAN president at the post-NEC press briefing which had all states branch chairmen of the unions in attendance.

The communiqu・issued after the four-hour session read: 笛oint NEC in session received the report of the mediation meeting at the instance of the Federal Ministry of Labour and Productivity to the stakeholders on the 7th and 8th, 11th and 13th of September 2006 after exhaustive review of the communiqu・arriving thereof.

典he joint NEC in session resolves as follows: that the joint NEC has set amongst other proposals to convey a high powered forum to discuss and agree on issues, the planning committee will meet on the 21st of September to plan for a larger forum to discuss all industrial issues that led to the three day warning strike of September 13th to 15th.

的n view of the aforementioned, the joint NEC in session agreed to suspend the three day warning strike. All members of NUPENG and PENGASSAN are hereby directed to resume their normal duty effective from tomorrow (Friday) 15th day of September 2006・

Meanwhile the group managing director of Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Engineer Funso Kupolokun at the forum expressed concern over alarming rate of pipeline vandalisation in the Northern part of the country. Kupolokun earlier in his appeal implored the striking workers to consider the position of government as well as the plight of the citizenry who have always been at the receiving end of such strike action.

In his words: 鉄uddenly, vandalisation started in the northern states, the resultant effects of it is today in terms of increased cases vandalisation. We have more cases of vandalisation going on in the North than in the South.

While reporting on the effort of the Corporation to restore the Warri refinery, Kupolokun said the rate of unrests in the region have scared off contractors who ought to work on the refinery, adding that it has also contributed to the lull in the activities of the Kaduna refinery.

Kupolokun maintained that major locations where the vandalisation has been pronounced were Makurdi, Suleja, and Gombe, stressing that Port Harcourt, Enugu, Auchi and Mosimi have in the past been the worrisome locations to NNPC.

The communiqu・of September 11, 2006 made available to NewAge revealed that the unions at the meeting indicted NNDC and state governors of the region for failing 妬n their statutory responsibilities in providing the needed development in the region part of which is responsible for the restiveness and attendant insecurity pervading the region.