Strike on FPSO hurting Ghana - Petroleum Commission

There are fears ongoing industrial action by workers on the oil rig could result in huge operational cost and revenue losses if the concerns of the workers are not addressed immediately.

Over 40 Ghanaian staff of MODEC Ghana Limited, who work on the FPSO Kwame Nkrumah on Wednesday, October 29, 2014, embarked on a sit-down strike, to press home their demands for better conditions of service.

The FPSO Kwame Nkrumah is a floating production storage and offloading (FPSO) vessel. It operates in the Jubilee oil fields off the coast of Ghana. 

The Petroleum Commission has subsequently scheduled a meeting today, Thursday, October 30, between MODEC and the Union to address some outstanding issues.

However, the Commission has in a statement, directed the workers to immediately resume work and allow the ongoing negotiations to continue.

“The Commission would like to reiterate that, strike actions do not help our effort in deepening Ghanaian participation on the rigs and other offshore installations. These installations are areas of very flammable fluids and therefore actions and inactions of workers could endanger lives and facilities. 

“Any hour of operational disruption costs the nation significant amount of money in terms of operational cost and lost revenues,” the Commission reminded the striking workers.

The Commission further described as “deep regret that an industrial action has taken place at this time when strenuous efforts are already ongoing to improve their conditions in the upstream petroleum industry”.

“The Petroleum Commission, since last year to date, has made a number of strategic interventions to improve the welfare and ensure equal opportunities for Ghanaian professionals for industrial harmony to prevail in the upstream petroleum industry”.

The statement also assured “all categories of personnel in the upstream petroleum industry that efforts are being made to ensure best practices in the industry and protect the long-term interest of Ghanaian workers”.

“The Commission will continue to use coordination and dialogue as strategies in nurturing this nascent industry into”. Story by Ghana | Myjoyonline.com | Jerry Tsatro Mordy | [email protected]