PETROLEUM and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN), has warned that if proper measures are not taken, last week attack on Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Jetting at Okiriama Village in Rivers state, may lead products scarcity and social dislocation in this festive period.
The umbrella body for senior oil workers in country lamented that the attack by illegal bunkerers disguising as militants while discharging of products was going on has triggered off fears and apprehension amongst staff of NNPC in the area and other jetties around the zone.
It could be recalled by the last week attack on the NNPC jetty claimed no fewer than eight lives including a member of PENGASSAN, staff of the Port Harcourt Refining Company (PHRC).
PENGASSAN in a statement signed by Comrades Peter Esele and Bayo Olowoshile, President and General Secretary, respectively, expressed shocked and surprised that the management of NNPC that criminals could get easy access to such sensitive location without resistance.
The statement read in part: “We received the despairing news of the NNPC vessel that was dastardly attacked with dynamite on Wednesday December 19, 2007 by illegal bunkerers’ disguising as Militants while discharging petroleum products at Okiriama Village Okrika jetty in Rivers State.
The sad and unfortunate event which claimed 8 lives, among who are a police officer and a PENGASSAN member staff of the Port Harcourt Refining Company has compelled our association’s engagement of NNPC management to provide security commitments and guarantees, if our members have to continue to work in such unsafe location has actually.”