The Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria has threatened to withdraw all its members from every upstream operation nationwide if Sterling Oil Exploration and Energy Production Company fails to immediately address the ongoing labour issues between the oil firm and PENGASSAN.

The association also stated that the Federal Government must remove the 10,699 Indian expatriates working with the firm in 15 locations in the oil and gas industry.

The President of PENGASSAN, Festus Osifo, issued the threat at a press conference on Tuesday in Abuja.

Last week, the leadership of the union picketed the headquarters of the oil firm due to the company’s alleged anti-labour practices and abuse of the expatriate quota system that led to discrimination against skilled Nigerian workers.

Speaking at the briefing, the union emphasised that failure to meet the conditions of their agitation would lead to widespread disruption in the sector, as its members consist of 90 per cent of workers in the upstream segment.

Osifo said the quota allocated to the firm was in violation of section 32 of the Nigerian Content Development Board Act.

He said the government has the option of choosing sides with the oil firm and risking losing monumental revenue. He urged the government to comply with the existing laws and regulations.

Osifo said, “So if we have done all these and nothing is done, we will declare a national strike. And remember, in the upstream operation of the oil and gas industry, those that are carrying out the operations, over 90 per cent of them are our members. So by the time we withdraw our members from the upstream, the entire upstream will be grounded.

“So the government should choose between standing with Nigerians and enforcing Nigerian laws or standing with Indians or Sterling Oil.”

Asked to reveal the timeline for the industrial action, Osifo explained that since no Nigerian is working at the jetties or in strategic positions, the association has informed its members at the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission, who are essential to lifting operations.

He added, “As we speak today, their operations are already under lock and key. They cannot lift. We will engage all stakeholders. But at the end of the engagement, the government should act. If not, those plants will be shut down. We will declare a nationwide strike if nothing is done. By the time we withdraw our members, the upstream will be grounded.”