Tension at NNPC as PENGASSAN threatens strike

There was tension at the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation on Wednesday, prompting the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria to threaten that it may embark on an industrial action soon.

It was gathered that the threat by the Group Executive Council of PENGASSAN at the NNPC followed plans by the oil firm’s management to carry out what it described as Internal Open Resource exercise.

Sources at the corporation told our correspondent on Wednesday night that the exercise would result in a situation where employees from lower levels would be moved to deputy managerial levels without passing through the mandatory qualifying exams.

PENGASSAN, in a letter addressed to the Group Managing Director, NNPC, Mele Kyari, advised the management of the oil firm to suspend the planned exercise.

The letter, with reference PEN.GEC.SEC06/21, which was dated June 22, 2020, read in part, “The Group Executive Council of PENGASSAN NNPC at an emergency meeting held on June 20, 2020 reviewed the general happenings at the NNPC.

“Recall the leadership engaged your good office and made an honest presentation on the union’s position, part of which was then a mere rumour on the above subject.”

The union stated that despite its meeting with Kyari, the GEC observed with dismay that the management still went ahead to broadcast its IOR exercise