Workers in the country�s oil industry have threatened to shut down oil production February 5, 2007, if the hostage-taking in the Niger Delta continues unabated.
A member of the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) who pleaded anonymity told THISDAY yesterday that following the dangerous dimension the kidnap situation has taken with the recent killing of 13 traditional rulers who were part of a negotiating team, the workers will have no choice but to shut down production. This, he said, is with a view to forcing government to act positively.
�We have the mandate to act appropriately if the security of our lives and properties are being threatened in any way, including closing shop. We intend to utilise this to the fullest, especially with the escalating situation in the Niger Delta. It can happen at any time but we are considering February 5, 2007,� the source said.
On his part, the President of PENGASSAN, Peter Esele, told THISDAY in connection with the killings of the traditional rulers: �We are aware that some traditional rulers were killed in Ekula Kingdom and that tells you that the scope is widening. We have said again and again that the earlier this is arrested and something is done about it the better for everybody. These guys are using automatic weapons. Who are they getting these weapons from? Where are they(weapons) coming from?�
Saying that was also giving them cause for worry, Esele wondered: �How come it is so easy for automatic weapons that you cannot see with the Nigerian Police officers or any other force for that matter? How come it is now so easy to carry arms? So, these are all the questions we are asking. Is it that the security men cannot do their jobs?�
He then reiterated their support for the development of the Niger Delta but noted that it was not the best way to go. He warned that this dangerous trend might consume everybody, including the militants themselves.
�So we advise them to desist from it. Also, if they feel that they are aggrieved there is nothing stopping them from forming a political party, run for an election in that area and win that election and start the development from there. If they have lost faith in the local government and the state government, then they can take over that instrument and rule this state by going to the polls and also telling the people what they intend to do for the advancement of the people�, he said.
Esele also revealed that apart from Wilbros, which are leaving the country due to the insecurity in the region, another company Esco Drilling is also leaving.
�I just got a call today (yesterday) that Esco Drilling, one of the companies that is worker-friendly in terms of employment (the constant training and exposure of their workers) and welfare package, is leaving Nigeria,� the labour leader he lamented.
�They said it is purely business but we know it is not business because they are quite young in the industry (barely five years). They are no longer happy with the system and have decided to get out. It is unfortunate this is happening and whether we like it or not, workers in the Niger Delta and those who are also from Niger Delta are also going to be affected by this, so it is very sad�.
The PENGASSAN President has therefore called on the Federal Government to bridge the communication gap between it and the people of the Niger Delta by addressing their grievances rather than scratching the issue on the surface.