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Wednesday, 07 January, 2009, 21:50 GMT | more >>

Nigerian strike hits export terminals



By Upstream staff 

Nigerian oil unions pulled many staff from crude export terminals on the second day of a strike today, but shipments from the world's eighth-largest exporter were uninterrupted, authorities said.

The strike by union members in the national oil company and the Department of Petroleum Resources, the industry regulator, began on Thursday to protest against the privatisation of the country's largest oil refinery.

The stoppage comes just days before the inauguration of President-elect Umaru Yar'Adua on Tuesday, and is a prelude to a two-day strike planned by all Nigerian trade unions on Monday and Tuesday to protest against alleged vote rigging in last month's polls.

"We are withdrawing from export terminals, but everything is still on, on a skeletal basis. We are not shutting down exports yet," said Peter Esele, leader of the senior staff union Pengassan.

Oil industry sources confirmed that many inspectors had already been withdrawn from oil tanker terminals, which ship about 2.1 million barrels per day.

The strike has already hit domestic fuel supplies, with lengthy fuel queues forming in southern and central Nigeria. Union leaders have said they would target oil production and exports if their demands were not addressed within days.

Talks between the unions and the government failed to make any meaningful progress on Thursday after Energy Minister Edmund Daukoru insisted there would be no negotiations until the strike was called off, unions said.

"The unions wanted a strong commitment from the government before calling off the strike, but there was no commitment on any of the issues raised," said Peter Akpatason, president of the junior staff union Nupeng. Another meeting was scheduled for Friday.

Shipping agents said between 40 and 45 tankers holding refined products - mainly gasoline and diesel - were waiting at the Lagos port, but it was unclear if the longer-than-usual delays were caused by the strike, Reuters reported.

Friday, 25 May, 2007, 14:42 GMT  | last updated: Friday, 25 May, 2007, 14:42 GMT

Stand: Nigeria's Energy Minister Edmund Daukoru has said talks between the government and unions will not begin until strike action is called off
 

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