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Tag: Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN)

  • Baru directs NNPC retail to secure 30% marktet share

    The Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, Dr. Maikanti Baru, has charged the Corporation Downstream company, NNPC Retail, to increase its current 14 per cent market share to 30 per cent by 2020.

    Speaking yesterday  in Abuja during the first Triennial Delegates Conference of the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN), NNPC Retail Branch, Dr. Baru stated that the charge was an assignment that must be accomplished.

    A release by NNPC Group General Manager, Public Affairs, Mr. Ndu Ughamadu, said the NNPC Group Managing Director, Dr. Baru, disclosed at the event that the NNPC Management would soon expand the operations of NNPC Retail Limited.

    Baru stated that NNPC was determined to ensure that the prevailing availability of petroleum products across the country was sustained as arrangements have reached advanced stage to acquire more landed property in Abuja and across the states to build more NNPC retail outlets.

    Speaking as Chairman of the occasion, Dr. Jackson Gaius-Obaseki, who is a former Group Managing Director of NNPC, described the National Oil Company as an accountable and transparent going concern, saying nothing should deter it from sustaining its core values.

    The former NNPC GMD stated that the current Management of the corporation deserved commendation for public accountability, pitched against its periodic and prompt reporting of the company’s operations and financial transactions.

    Dr. Gaius-Obaseki, who is also the Chairman of Brass LNG, listed the NNPC core values to include: transparency, integrity and accountability which he explained must be reflected in all the company’s dealings with its stakeholders across the Industry value chain.

    “The current NNPC Top Management led by Dr. Maikanti Baru, must be commended for updating the books of NNPC business units. This is reflective of what used to be. This must be sustained as NNPC business performance should be reported as stipulated in enabling laws”, he said.

    Dr. Gaius-Obaseki stated that the decision to establish the NNPC Retail in 2002 had yielded result with the NNPC Mega stations across the country servicing the petroleum needs of the people, noting that unlike the situation in the past, Nigerians now enjoy fuel availability through the effort of the NNPC Retail Limited.

    He charged the union to be focused in their relationship with management to enable both parties work efficiently for the benefit of Nigerians.

    Read Also: Baru hails oil workers for stopping planned strike

    “Unionism must move away from strikes and protest to developmental focus.  We must move away from being a combative group as a union but be forward looking and join management in the development of business,” he stated.

    In his presentation entitled: “NNPC Retail Limited: Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow”, guest speaker, Mr. Adeyemi Adetunji, Managing Director of NNPC Retail Limited, said the company was moving from a cost centre to profit making entity.

    Mr. Adetunji assured the Group Managing Director of NNPC that his company would hit the 30 per cent market share target set by corporation’s helmsman.

    In the same vein, PENGASSAN President, Comrade Francis Johnson assured that union members will be encouraged to assist the NNPC Retail management in achieving its target, pointing out that “the NNPC Retail has continued to serve as a vehicle of intervention in the market during periods of emergency and avoidable supply interruptions”.

    PENGASSAN NNPC Retail branch chairman, Comrade Baba Shetimah Kukawa, thanked NNPC Retail Management for providing the enabling environment for the union to flourish, pledging the continuous support of the group to the Company.

    He appreciated the GMD and other NNPC top management for their support and assured that NNPC Retail under his watch would continue to work hard towards delivering on the mandates.

  • PENGASSAN warn against sale or refineries, NNPC

    The Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) has warned against by the political class and other stakeholders from selling the nation’s refineries, saying Nigerian workers and the entire labour movement in the country will not accept such move.

    Apparently reacting to the a statement credited to the Former Vice President and Presidential Candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) that he would sell the NNPC if voted into power; President of the union, Francis Olabode Johnson said the intended sales of the refineries as being propagated will not be accepted.

    Johnson said rather than contemplating the sale of the refineries and the NNPC, plus should be made to immediately rehabilitate the refineries and make them functional.

    The PENGASSAN President who spoke in Abuja said: “We strongly appeal to the Federal Government to hasten work on the rehabilitation of the refineries as conflicting pronouncements are creating more confusion. We urge the government to fast track the rehabilitation of the refineries so that the intended sales as been propagated in certain quarters will not be accepted.

    Read Also: PENGASSAN urges unity among workers

    “PENGASSAN position from time immemorial has been the NLNG Model and for the model to be accepted by the association. The rehabilitation of these refineries must be concluded, as this will go a long way in not short-changing the Nigerian nation.”

    Speaking at the Delegate Conference, titled: “The role of Labour in Maintaining Industrial and Political Stability in Nigeria,” the PENGASSAN President commended the NNPC management for its role in ensuring the JV Cash Call resolution, fully functional operations of Depots in Mosimi, Ore, Aba, Gombe, Ibadan, Calabar, Ilorin, Kaduna and others.

    He said: “We will use this medium to sincerely appreciate the dedication and commitment efforts of the NNPC Management in their investment drive to position the corporation for greater efficiency.

    “We are again grateful to the management of NNPC and other subsidiaries units for their support on capacity development, improved staff welfare and career progression for some of our members of the GEC and our associations as a whole. We equally commend the management for their understanding in resolving issues involving some management staff recently.”

    The GEC Chairman, Comrade Sulaiman .A. Sulaiman, called on the management of NNPC to put as a priority the issue of the downstream sector, most especially the refineries, depots and pipelines that has defied solutions.

    According to him, the refineries are almost grounded and the only hope of comprehensive rehabilitation through the financier model as proposed by top management of NNPC seems not realistic.

    He emphasized that this development is giving  was giving the workforce some concern; adding that other staff related issues that need management intervention include deterioration of staff strength in almost every section of the corporation, Human Capacity Development/Training and succession planning.

     

  • Don’t politicize minimum wage issue, PENGASSAN warn government

    The Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN)  on Wednesday warned stakeholders in the minimum wage issue in the country not to politicize the issues of a new minimum wage for workers and asked government to handle the issue with all the seriousness it deserve.

    President of the Union, Francis Olabode Johnson who gave the warning at 5th triennial delegates conference of the Group Executive Council of NNPC PENGASSAN said all hands must be on deck to actualize the minimum wage in line with the slogan that Labour create wealth.

    Johnson also asked the government to hasten work on the rehabilitation of the refineries as conflicting pronouncements from the government are creating more confusion  than addressing the situation.

    He said the rehabilitation of the refineries must be done immediately so as to prevent the intended sales of the refineries as such action will not be accepted by workers.

    He said the position of the union has remained that the NLNG model should be adopted for the refineries, adding that the rehabilitation of these refineries must be concluded as it will go a long way to preventing Nigerians from being shortchanged.

    Read Also: PIB: Kachikwu commends PENGASSAN

    He also asked politicians to avoid hate speech in their campaign and avoid inner overheating the polity in the larger interest of the Nigerian nation.

    He said “We strongly; appeal to the Federal Government to hasten work on the rehabilitation of: the Refineries as conflicting pronouncements are ‘creating more confusion.

    “We urge the Government to fast track the rehabilitation of the refineries so that the intended sales as been propagated in certain quarters will not be accepted PENGASSAN position from time immemorial has been the NLNG Model and for the model to be accepted by the Association. The rehabilitation of these refineries must be concluded. as this will go a long way in NOT shortchanging the Nigerian nation.

    “I will use this opportunity to urge every member of the NNPC GEC to put the ‘events of the 2017 National Delegates’ Conference behind us and strive to strengthen the NNPC Family’s Unity in view of the future challenges the Corporation may encounter. The night is over, the morning beckons, and we must all set forth at dawn by putting the past behind us and forge ahead towards a strong finish.

    “We appeal to Government at all levels to handle seriously the issue of the ongoing minimum wage imbroglio. On this, we appeal to all Stakeholders that this is not a time to politicize this matter and that all hands must be on deck in tandem with our Slogan of “Labour creates Wealth”. We also urge politicians to avoid Hate Speeches in their Campaigns and should avoid unnecessary overheating of the polity in the larger interest of the Nigerian Nation.

    “We all need ourselves to navigate through this very challenging and onerous task of providing effective leadership to our teeming members who desire assurances of improved work conditions.”

  • FG, expatriates deny Nigerians their benefits – PENGASSAN

    The Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) Wednesday condemned the manner that the Ministry of Interior and the Nigeria Customs Service are corroborating with the expatriates in the oil and gas industry to deny Nigerians their benefits.

    Addressing journalists in Abuja on the 40th anniversary of the association that is billed to hold on Thursday, the association’s President, Comrade Francis Johnson, said that in the industry, “the challenges are very enormous.”

    Read Also:PENGASSAN, NUPENG to collaborate with NCDMB on local content

    The theme of the 40th anniversary, according to him, is “labour fueling the economy.”

    He said: “There is a challenge where we have the Ministry of Interior, Customs corroborating with expatriates to make sure that Nigerians do not get their benefits.”

    He also decried the issue of job auctioning and capital flight as some of the challenges bedeviling the sector at the moment.

    Johnson expressed worry that “You also talk about the issue of job auctioning; Nigerians are experience capital flight from the jobs that should have been done in Nigeria taken to Dubai and somewhere else whereas there are some Nigerians that are capable of doing it.”

    He complained that in some of the International Oil Companies (IOCs) there are still security apparatus that are being headed by foreigners whereas during ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo administration there was a policy that any foreigner that has served in any of the country’s apparatus should not head the IOCs security in Nigeria.

    Another challenge that he highlighted was the abuse of the right and privilege of the oil and gas workers by their employers.

    Commenting on the collaboration among the unions and the government, he said “we have collaborated with the employers as far as possible to see that the interests are protected.”

    He advised the government to ensure that it start engaging labour in dialogue from the beginning of an ultimatum instead of waiting till the dying minute.

    On minimum wage, he urged the government to give workers their dues, adding that that government should adopt a wage and its review timeline to settle the wage issue instead of giving the citizenry the impression that labour is insensitive to their plight.

    Johnson, however, noted that the association has made remarkable progress in the last few years that include the engagement of government to settle the cash call.

    He recalled that the association played a major role in the attainment of democracy that the country now enjoys.

    The labour leader said that “the greatest role that the association and other played was the time of June 12.  That time it was very tough and our members were incarcerated.”

    He appealed to politicians to always identify the role that labour played in the attainment of democracy, stressing that the politicians should ensure political stability.

    The association, he said, has ensured that the oil and gas industry fetches the country more revenue.  It has also contributed to the advocacy for the passage of the Petroleum Industry Bill.

  • Fuel crisis: Local refining is the only solution, says Dogara

    Fuel crisis: Local refining is the only solution, says Dogara

    The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara has said the country will continue to experience fuel crisis as long as it cannot refine the products locally.

    Dogara said though the leadership of the country is engaging stakeholders on how to surmount the challenge, he nonetheless opined that the country is not likely to overcome the recurring crisis if it continues with stop-gap measures.

    Dogara spoke Tuesday in his office while receiving the leadership of the Petroleum and Natural gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN), where he said it would be foolhardy for anyone to think that there will be a permanent solution without capacity to refine petroleum products locally.

    He however disclosed that three Petroleum Industry bills would be given expedited action by the two houses of the National Assembly to avoid delay.

    He revealed that works on the bills are expected to be have been concluded and sent for Presidential assent before active politicking for 2019 general elections sets in.

    He said: “You mention this very embarrassing fuel situation which we have found ourselves and the state of our refineries.

    “My take on this is very simple and I’ve said it on a number of occasion that unless we are able to refine our own crude oil locally, we will never be in a position as a nation to say bye bye to fuel scarcity.

    “That is the truth; anyone who thinks we can depend on importation and still solve this problem in a permanent basis is deceiving himself.

    “When you import you depend on so many variables that are not within your control and anything can happen along the line that may result in this.

    “As far as am concerned, I see no reason why, with the quantum of crude we are churning out from Nigeria we cannot refine this product locally and end this shame once and for all.

    “It’s something we are looking at levels of  different strata of leadership in the country but whatever solutions we are going to proffer, will only be temporal.

    “The permanent solution will come when are able to refine the product locally, put it in the filling stations where it can be dispensed and then we can say bye bye to the scarcity.

    “But as far as that is not done, any measure adopted will just be a stop-gap measure  because we will depending on refineries outside and others variables that are not

    “This is where we are but to be candid this is a challenge we have to resolve as soon as we can.

    “At the level of leadership, engagements are on-going and hopefully we will be able find a solution but the permanent solution is when we are in a position, either through the existing refineries or building new ones but we must possess the capacity to refine the crude locally.”

    As part of the permanent solution, Dogara said the process of passing the three remain bills of petroleum industry would be abridged whereby the petroleum resources Committees of the two House would work together rather than separately.

    He said a joint public hearing would be conducted by the Committees where all stakeholders, civil society organizations (CSOs) and members of the public would be invited.

    He said the aggregate of the outcome of the public hearing is critical to the final report of the bills.

    Dogara also stated that to maximise time, there would be no need for Conference Committe once the reports of the bills are considered and adopted by the two chambers since the reports would be basically similar.

    Saying that the 8th National Assembly is desirous of creating further history having broken the jinx of passing the Petroleum Industry Governance Bill (PIGB), Dogara said the lawmakers are currently working on the physical aspect of the bills.

    “The process of passing the bills will be done in no time, by this time; we are taking a very short route to the passage of these bills in the sense that instead of working separately, the two Houses will work on them jointly.

    “At the end of the day what comes back to the plenary of the two houses will be a reflection of the work of the joint Committee and once it is passed, there won’t be any need for conference on the bill to harmonise the position of the two houses, it will be the same position for the two and it will be sent to the President for assent.

    “If we succeed in this, this section of the National Assembly would be making history though we have been doing that.”

    Earlier in his speech, PENGASAN  National President, Olabode Johnson, who led other members of the delegation asked for the intervention of the House in the lingering fuel crisis while asking for the revamping and rehabilitation of the nation’s refineries with timeline.

    The union also implored the government to effect strategies of adequate and sustainable crude supply to the refineries to enhance local refining.

    The group also asked government to remove all encumbrances associated with importation of refined products, enhance infrastructural facilities such as construction of additional Single Point Mooring and extension of such into deep waters to enable berthing of large vessels to ease the challenges of importation.

  • Fuel Scarcity: Edo to clamp down on errant petrol stations 

    Fuel Scarcity: Edo to clamp down on errant petrol stations 

    As part of measures to prevent the hoarding of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) during the yuletide, the Edo State Government has said that it would commence monitoring of marketers and petrol stations across the state from Wednesday, December 20, 2017, and will shut errant stations.

    The Commissioner for Oil, Gas & Solid Minerals, Hon. Joseph Ugheoke, gave the warning in a chat with journalists at the Government House in Benin City, Edo State capital, on Tuesday.

    “People in the state should not engage in panic buying as there is no justifiable reason for doing so. The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) has assured the state government that it would supply enough products to the state to address the shortage.”

    He explained that the state government has placed a ban on the sale of PMS in jerry cans, adding that notice has been sent to managers of petrol stations not to sell PMS of more than 20 litres to buyers with jerry cans.

    “We are aware of the reduced allocation of PMS to Edo State. The shortage of PMS is not peculiar to Edo State, as other states in the country are also recording similar shortage in supply though there is no record of scarcity in some states,” the commissioner said.

    “The ministry has been reliably informed by the NNPC that the quantity of PMS supplied to Edo State will adequately serve the needs of users during the yuletide. There is no need for panic buying by motorists across the state.”

    Ugheoke said the state government through the Ministry of Oil, Gas and Solid Minerals, is putting measures in place to prevent some marketers from exploiting the people by hoarding the product to create artificial scarcity and make excessive gains to the detriment of the people.

    “The queues we have been seeing at petrol stations across the state were caused by the fears over the planned strike by members of the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN). But with the suspension of the strike on Monday, loading of petroleum products has commenced and our staff will be going round to monitor the supply and dispensing of PMS to motorists at the petrol stations,” he said.

    According to him, officials of the ministry will ensure that petrol stations that were supplied PMS, dispense the product to buyers based on the regulated price of N145 per litre and any station hoarding the product will be shut down.

  • PENGASSAN suspends nationwide strike

    PENGASSAN suspends nationwide strike

    The Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) has suspended its indefinite strike action embarked upon to protest what the union described as unfair Labour practices by the management of Neconde Energy Ltd (of Nestoil Group of companies).

    The union are accusing the company of entrenching unfriendly Labour practices in contravention of the nation’s Labour laws and failing to remit taxes and pensions deducted from workers to government, while boasting that no government official can call it to order, adding that workers who decided to join unions are treated as slaves in their own country and dismissed from work.

    Addressing newsmen after the meeting, National President of the union, Francis Olabode Johnson said the agreement signed between the union and the management is subject to review after three months to determine the adherence of the company to the details of the resolution.

    He said that the company has unconditionally agreed to recall all the sacked staff and take steps to allow their employees to be members of the union, adding that the meeting also resolved to address the anti-union posture of other indigenous companies and their abuse of court processes to stall resolution of issues.

    According to him, in view of the intervention, the resolution reached and in the spirit of the Yuletide, the union agreed to suspend the strike with immediate effect, while all members have been asked to resume normal duties immediately.

    The term of settlement made available to newsmen states: the “Management of Neconde was mandated to invite the sacked Branch Chairman for a meeting with a view to ameliorating the action taken against him and with a total review of the termination of the appointment and conciliatory conditions attached.

    “Management of Neconde should create room for PENGASSAN to be revived in the company and report the outcome to the Honourable Minister of Labour within three monthsfrom the date of this meeting.

    “National Secretariat of PENGASSAN and Management of Neconde should ensure regular training of Branch Executives in Labour Administration and Industrial Relations. Management should engage the services of experts in Labour Administration and performance appraisals for technical support.”

    The memorandum was signed by the National President of PENGASSAN, Francis Olabode Johnson, and his General Secretary, Lumumba Okugbawa, Managing Director of Neconde Energy Services, Frank Edozie, legal consultants to the company, Uche Val Obi, (SAN)​​​ and the Director, Trade Union Services and Industrial Relations, in the Ministry of Labour and Employment, Mrs O.A. Akpan.

  • PENGASSAN threatens to embark on nationwide strike

    PENGASSAN threatens to embark on nationwide strike

    The leadership of the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) has asked Nigerians to stockpile enough petroleum products that will last them throughout the upcoming festive period, saying except the government intervene in the unfriendly Labour practices going on in the oil and gas sector, it will call out its members for a nationwide strike with effect from Monday, December 18, 2017

    In a statement made available to The Nation in Abuja signed by the General Secretary, Lumumba Okugbawa, the union singled out one of the companies operating in the Sector, Neconde Energy Ltd (of Nestoil Group of companies) as one of the companies that has entrenched unfriendly Labour practices in contravention of the nation’s Labour laws.

    It accused the company of failing to remit taxes and pensions deducted from workers to government, while boasting that no government official can call it to order, adding that workers who decided to join unions are treated as slaves in their own country and dismissed from work”

    The union is asking the government to compel the company to recalled all sacked workers within seven days and stick to the nation’s Labour laws, adding that failure to do that, the union will have no other option than to call out its members on a nationwide indefinite strike action.

    The union said that the strike action will lead to shutting down all oil and gas installations, including disruptions to fuel supply and distribution, adding that the

    company has not only conducted itself as being above the provisions of extant laws and regulations guiding the operations of oil and gas companies in Nigeria, but has also severally boasted that no government agency can call it to order.

    The statement said: “The Association recalls her communique issued at the end of the National Executive Council (NEC) meeting of October 13, 2017 held in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State. One of the resolutions thereof was the condemnation of Indigenous Oil and Gas Companies and Marginal Field Operators, concerning their anti labour posture and practices including the termination of the employment of any workers who has indicated willingness to belong to the union.

    “Those who are threatened and compelled to disown the union are then treated as slave workers within their own country. The case of Neconde Energy Ltd (of Nestoil Group of companies) is particularly worrisome as the issue of dignity in labour and infringement on workers’ rights to freedom of Association is foreign to them leading to mass sack of workers that joined the Union and dehumanization of same in total disregard to rule of engagement and the laws of the land.

    “The actions of companies such as Neconde in mass sack of Nigerian workers contribute in no small measure to the unending militancy in the Niger Delta.

    “This company has not only conducted itself as being above the provisions of extant laws and regulations guiding the operations of oil and gas companies in Nigeria, but has also severally boasted that no government agency can call it to order.

    “It was therefore no surprise that Neconde has defied multiple interventions from the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment, the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) and the top Management of Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and Nigeria Petroleum Development Company (NPDC) for the company to toe the path of law and order and comply with Nigerian labour laws.

    “The company is apparently bolstered by the fact that it has continued, without any sanctions from government regulatory authorities, to flagrantly breach the provisions of the Personal Income Tax Amendment Act (PITA) and Pension Reform Act (PRA) by not remitting deducted income taxes and pension contributions to the Lagos and Delta states’ boards of internal revenue and authorized Pension Fund Administrators (PFAs) respectively.

    “The owners and management of Neconde have therefore made themselves to believe that they are above the laws and government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

    “Having explored all options without getting the necessary understanding, and an apparent failure of relevant authorities of Government to call to order these recalcitrant organizations especially Neconde, PENGASSAN gives the Federal Government and its relevant Agencies seven (7) days’ notice to embark on a nationwide strike effective December 18, 2017 if government fails to direct the Management of  Neconde and other companies to recall our sacked members  as the only option to address this injustice and lawlessness.

    “PENGASSAN appeals to all Nigerians to show understanding and to use this window to stockpile adequate quantity of premium motor spirit (PMS) and other petroleum products that will last them during the upcoming festive period as this strike will be indefinite.”

  • NNPC: PENGASSAN, NUPENG rally behind Baru

    NNPC: PENGASSAN, NUPENG rally behind Baru

    Unions in the oil and gas sector on Monday pledged support for the ‘transformation stride’ of the Group Managing Director (GMD) of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) Dr Maikanti Baru.

    The Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) and the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) made the pledge in Abuja in a statement by Mr Ndu Ughamadu, NNPC Group General Manager Group Public Affairs Division.

    Read: $25bn NNPC contract: Buhari vets Kachikwu’s petition

    The Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Dr Ibe Kachikwu had accused Baru of flouting contractual agreements, creating a fear culture in the corporation and insubordination among others.

    Ughamadu, reacting to the allegations on Monday, however, said the Minister’s allegations were not true as due process had been followed in the corporation’s various activities.

    Ughamadu said at a solidarity visit to the GMD, the National President of PENGASSAN, Mr Francis Johnson, said the unions and its members considered it appropriate to rally round Baru and the NNPC Management to pledge their support.

    ”The unions’ support for the GMD was based on his ability to walk his talk since assuming office last year.

    Baru and Kachuckwu

    ”The National body of PENGASSAN and all the NNPC in-house unions are here today to show our support for you.

    ”You have brought stability to the NNPC and we are happy today that staff morale is high. You were Chairman of NNPC Anti-Corruption Committee for over five years and that was what informed your appointment as GMD of NNPC.

    ”Today, all the bullets you are taking are on behalf of members of staff. We will continue to pray for you, God will continue to guide and shield you,” Ughamadu quoted Johnson.

    Also: $25b contracts: NNPC, Baru tackle Kachikwu

    Ughamadu said the unionist called on Nigerians to be cautious of their comments on the controversy, adding that any wrong information was capable of discouraging investors from the oil and gas industry.

    He said the NNPC Group Chairman of PENGASSAN, Mr Sale Abdullahi, who also spoke during the solidarity visit disclosed that part of the unions’ concern had to do with the need to protect not only the GMD but the NNPC as an institution.

    ”Baru had streamlined the processes and procedures in the Corporation leading to the full restructuring which was beginning to yield positive results.

    ”Today, the GMD and NNPC Management receive inputs from staff and this gesture by Dr Baru has given members of staff a sense of belonging.

    ”Today, our inputs are being implemented and we are highly motivated.”

    Other union leaders who were at the meeting to lend support were the Group Chairman of NNPC NUPENG, Udofia Benjamin and Chairman of NNPC Corporate Headquarters Chapter of PENGASSAN, Mathew Duru.

    Also speaking, Baru described the allegations of award of contracts without regard to due process as unfounded and unfortunate.

    He explained that as a former chairman of the NNPC Anti-Corruption Committee, he would be the last person to breach the procurement process by disregarding extant laws and rules.

    The GMD said both the NNPC Act and Public Procurement Act vested procurement powers on the NNPC Tenders Board, the President and the Federal Executive Council (FEC) depending on the cost threshold, stressing that the NNPC Board had no role whatsoever in the process.

    ”I know for those of you who are following what we are doing here, you know that there’s no money lost and no process has been breached.

    ”Our contracting process is perfect and we will continue to follow the process. The NNPC Board has no role, I repeat, has no role as far as the contracting process is concerned,” Baru said.

    He said the crude term contract and the DSDP agreements were not contract as such but pre-qualification of off-takers of crude oil.

    ”The case of DSDP, is of those that will take crude and give us products in return.

    ”So there is no value to them. But humongous figures have been put forward mainly to incite the public, it is most unfortunate.”

  • PENGASSAN to FG – ‘settle marketers debts to avert mass sack’

    PENGASSAN to FG – ‘settle marketers debts to avert mass sack’

    The Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria ( PENGASSAN ) on Sunday called on the Federal Government to settle all debts allegedly owed oil marketers to engender growth of the oil and gas industry and develop the nation’s economy.

    The union made the call against the backdrop of threat by the marketers to embark on massive retrenchment of their employees if the government refused to pay the over N720 billion subsidy arrears.

    Mr Fortune Obi, National Public Relations Officer, PENGASSAN in a statement said the debts were the outstanding subsidy owed on the importation of petroleum products, accrued interest on loans from banks and exchange rate differential.

    The union said the debts resulted in halt in the importation of refined petroleum products leaving only the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) doing the business.

    PENGASSAN appealed to government to pay the debts owed the marketers to speed growth  and attract more investment  in the downstream sector.

    “The government should try as much as possible to verify the authenticity of the claims by the oil marketers and ensure quick settlement of the genuine debts.

    “The government should try to separate the genuine claims by the importers from spurious ones and pay them because we will not like to be engulfed in the mistakes of the past where briefcase marketers milked the nation through dubious subsidy claims.

    “A situation where the workers in the industry bear the inability of the government to honour its obligations as part of the importation deal will be unfair and unacceptable to our Association. This is against the President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration major policy of job creation.

    “As a responsible trade union, as much as we will support any move by the government to end subsidy regime and spurious claims by the marketers, we are also canvassing for the payment of debts that can hinder the growth of the downstream sector and attract investments into the sector,” PENGASSAN said.

    The union noted that in the last five years about 70 per cent of the workforce in the downstream sector, especially the marketing sub sector have been thrown into the “over-bloated labour market.”