The Nation Newspaper

Tag: PENGASSAN

  • Sacked Shell workers: NUPENG, PENGASSAN plan strike

    Sacked Shell workers: NUPENG, PENGASSAN plan strike

    The Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) has found an ally in its senior staff counterpart- the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association (PENGASSAN) in its plan to go on strike this week.

    In a statement, PENGASSAN informed the government and the public of its determination to join NUPENG in every protest and action to be undertaken should the Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) management fail to recall the sacked NUPENG members as directed by the Minister of Labour and Productivity, Chief Wogu

    In the statement signed by the National Publicity Secretary, Comrade Zaid Kolawole, the union said the industrial actions will be jointly planned under the NUPENGASSAN platform to ensure that Shell complies with the Minister’s directive. The Minister had during a mediation meeting between NUPENG and Shell, directed that the sacked workers be recalled before December 4, 2012.

    In the statement, PENGASSAN alleged that information reaching the union was that Shell management was contemplating circumventing the directive by the Minister of Labour and Productivity by planning that the affected NUPENG officers and members shall only be recalled to their jobs from which they were unjustly disengaged, as casual workers.

    This, PENGASSAN said, is totally unacceptable to both NUPENG and PENGASSAN as it is repugnant to the principles of natural justice and decent work.

  • Why we oppose sale of refineries -PENGASSAN

    FRESH facts emerged at the weekend as to why the oil workers’ unions are not favourably disposed towards the sale of the nation’s four refineries.

    Speaking exclusively with The Nation, Comrade Babatunde Ogun, President, Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN), said the union opposed the outright sale of the refineries, because such a move will not augur well for its members.

    Noting that the oil and gas workers are not completely averse to privatisation, he, however, insisted that the government cannot sell its stake in the oil and gas sector for strategic and security reasons.

    He said: “An immediate sale without first carrying out a Turn Around Maintenance (TAM) is unacceptable. The privatisation cannot be done in less than three years time, considering all the labour-related issues, pension, severance, and so on. The sale of PHCN and NITEL is an example. So if you sell after three years, the new buyer uses another two years to make business decision and looks for funds and another two years for the TAM.”

    The Dr. Kalu Idika Kalu-led National Refineries Special Task Force had, a few months ago, advocated for the sale of the refineries within the next 18months thus saving the Federal Government the hurdle of fixing the refineries.

    But the Federal Government seems disposed to carrying out a Turn Around Maintenance (TAM) at the cost of $1.6billion.

    The TAM, which is expected to begin in early January, is scheduled for completion in October 2014.

    While reiterating the union’s commitment to the progress and development of the sector, Comrade Ogun said the sale of the refineries as proposed by the Kalu committee was not in the interest of the country.

    “Invariably, the committee didn’t want the country to refine crude in Nigeria for the next eight years. This is unacceptable. The TAM must start now without any further delay. Government only gives the contract to a reputable firm and a bank guarantee,” he stressed.

    On why most multinational oil companies operating in the country are yet to site their refineries as they have done elsewhere, the PENGASSAN boss laid the blame on the laws of the land.

    “Our law gave the companies that chance. The companies are owned by businessmen, but government can address this anomaly in the PIB. Any company producing 200k oil and above must have a stake in refinery in Nigeria.”

    Speaking further, he said, “The inefficiency is as a result of policies and tedious approval process. A new well-structured PIB will address that,” adding: “All these positions have been canvassed by both unions in the oil and gas sectors to the government. But government has been running from one committee to the other.”

     

  • PIB: PENGASSAN urges dialogue with stakeholders

    PIB: PENGASSAN urges dialogue with stakeholders

    THE Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN), has urged the Federal Government to consult with relevant stakeholders on the passage of the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) into law.

    Speaking at an oil workers workshop on PIB by the association and the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) in Calabar, yesterday, President of PENGASSAN, Comrade Babatunde Ogun, called on the Federal Government not to be draconian in the passage of the bill, as they will resist such move.

    Mr. Ogun said the bill has some challenges that should be sorted out before passage into law.

    He said: “Every Nigerian solidly believes that there is need for change. As we speak, we are engaging every stakeholder. The Bill as it is has some challenges that we believe should be addressed by the unions and stakeholders in the oil and gas to add value to it.

    “We must not use draconian law to pass the Bill, that is why the unions are saying, let us engage government, bring all stakeholders to look at it and see what happens internationally. As oil and gas workers, we strongly believe that Nigerians must not be shortchanged and that there should be conducive environment for the investors,” he said.

    He said part of the reasons for the workshop was for members of the two unions and stakeholders in the oil and gas industry who add value to government affairs to look at the Bill critically, and proffer solutions on the best way to go about it.

    The facilitator of the workshop and Research Fellow with the Centre for Public Policy, Dr. Olufemi Olanrewaju, said the importance of the PIB should not be underestimated, adding that the workshop seeks to look at the contents of the bill and see where the challenges lie so as to proffer solutions.

  • PENGASSAN seeks end to casualisation in oil sector

    PENGASSAN seeks end to casualisation in oil sector

    The Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) has called for an end to the incessant use of casual workers by the oil and gas industry.

    The National Industrial Relations Officer (NIRO) of PENGASSAN, Mr. Chika Onuegbu, made the call in a chat with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Port Harcourt on Monday.

    Onuegbu, who is also the Chairman, Trade Union Congress (TUC), Rivers chapter, said that the much desired transformation would be achieved if the issue of casual workers was addressed.

    He described the use of casual workers in the sector as a “huge challenge” which demanded an urgent attention.

    Onuegbu, said that lack of appropriate enforcement of the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry Content Development Act, 2010, was responsible for the increase in the number of casual workers in the oil sector.

    He said the misinterpretation of the Act had also hampered the promotion of local contents.

    The chairman said international oil companies, who were into employment of casual workers, were doing this with the intention of dodging payment of benefits to the permanent staff members.

    “The casual workers are being used with no provision for pension, leave, housing and other benefits.

    “We want to see our people being trained and assigned responsibilities in critical disciplines of the oil and gas sector, not as figureheads for the purpose of statistics,” Onuegbu said.