The demands of the “Facilities Guard” are a new threat facing the oil sector

Benghazi, February 21, 2024 (Al-Anbaa Libya) – A new crisis began to loom on the horizon, a few days after the end of the crisis in the Sharara oil field in southern Libya, as members of the Petroleum Facilities Guard threatened to stop the flow of oil and gas from three oil sites in the western region until their demands were implemented.

The protesters, who broadcast video statements on social media sites, gave the concerned authorities 5 days to implement their demands, otherwise the three sites “Mellita Oil Complex, Al-Zawiya Refinery, and Misrata Oil Complex” will be completely closed until the demands are implemented.

Demands of the agency’s employees

The demands of the members of the Petroleum Facilities Guard were limited to obtaining their financial dues mentioned in previous government decisions, increasing their salaries, activating health insurance, and refusing to transfer the device’s members to other security agencies until the demands are implemented.

The protesters said in their statement that they were forced to take this action after all parties refused to hear their voices, as they had previously organized protests, appeals and correspondence to all concerned parties without anyone responding to them, and they only received promises that were not implemented, the last of which was the directives of the Prime Minister of the National Unity Government, Abdul Hamid Dabaiba, to pay attention to… With the agency’s members and implementing their demands, but all to no avail.

The protesters stressed that over the past years they had been loyal soldiers to their national mission of guarding the country’s primary source of income, and they hoped that their demands would be fulfilled like others, but they found nothing but marginalization and exclusion, which forced them to announce the closure of the three oil sites after communicating with the agency’s employees in all areas. All over the country.

A renewed threat

This was not the first time that sectarian demands reached oil sites. Protesters in southern cities previously closed the Sharara oil field, demanding improved services provided to the southern region and confronting fuel smuggling operations.

Observers believe that oil has become one of the most important tools used by citizens to pressure the authorities to achieve their demands, as it is the primary source of income in the country. However, the repetition of such protests may expose this vital sector to successive disturbances that may affect the volume of oil investments.

Earlier, the Ministry of Oil and Gas of the National Unity Government warned of the consequences of closing oil sites, stressing that these closures may push many companies to leave the Libyan market, and may also affect the electricity production sector. (Libyan News _ Benghazi) H. A

You can also read the news in the source from the Libyan News Agency