Petroleum Scarcity Looms As Pengassan Begins Strike

Abuja — Imminent scarcity of petroleum products looms across the country, as the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN), conclude plans to begin an indefinite strike action. Already, a seven day warning strike embarked upon by the oil and gas labour movement has ended without any satisfactory result, and any moment from now, a full scale strike action will be declared nationwide by PENGASSAN. A top member of PENGASSAN who confided in LEADERSHIP yesterday, said the union is embarking on the strike because the management of the Petroleum Equalisation Fund (PEF) has refused to shift grounds on the union’s demand to rescind a policy which seeks to impose an unfavourable condition of staff.He accused the Executive Secretary of PEF,Adefunke Kasali of seeking to implement a regional policy and victimising staff from a particular geo-political zone of the country.

More Ethiopian Troops Arrive in Darfur Bolstering Peacekeeping Operation

More than 300 Ethiopian troops arrived in Darfur over the last two days to boost the strength of the joint United Nations-African Union force, known as UNAMID, deployed earlier this year in an attempt to suppress the violence and humanitarian suffering in the war-torn Sudanese region.More personnel from the Ethiopian Infantry Battalion are expected to land in El Geneina, West Darfur by the end of the week.Their principal duties will include conducting security patrols, enhancing security and fostering confidence within the local population, as well as conducting escorts for humanitarian convoys.