Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) has resilved that it would safeguard the jobs of members in the oil and gas sector of the Nigerian economy.
Speaking after his re-election at the fifth triennial delegates’ conference at the weekend in Abuja, PENGASSAN president, Francis Olabode Johnson, while reassuring members of the union’s commitment to workers’ welfare, stressed that security of members’ jobs would be the main focus of his regime.
He said, “Under no guise will we allow our members to lose their jobs. We will fight any form of unprocedural redundancies or restructuring that affects our members.”
Johnson said employers must abide by agreements with organised labour as well as respect the labour laws of the country.
He lamented the anti-labour practises of some multi-nationals who flagrantly sack Nigerian workers and replace them with expatriates.
Johnson stated that PENGASSAN would continue to play its part in the positioning of the country as a force to be reckoned with in the downstream sector of the oil and gas industry.
“We are ready to collaborate with the government and other agents towards the development and growth of our industry,” he stated.
Johnson was re-elected in a keenly contested election, defeating Mohammed Saleh of NAPIMS and Eze Emmanuel Eze of NPDC.
He was elected for the first term in June 2014.
Others elected during the conference were Deputy President, Frank Ufuoma Esanubi, from Chevron, who defeated the incumbent Jude Nwaogu.
For the position of National Industrial Relations Officer, Ndukaku Ohaeri, from NLNG, was re-elected after defeating Elo Victor-Ogbonda, former Port Harcourt zonal secretary.
Elias Eduga of NAOC was also re-elected as National Financial Secretary, while Victor Ononokpono of PPPRA became the Treasurer.
Also on the list are, Fortune Obi of Shell Petroleum, elected as National PRO; Evelyn Amaka Ijeoma of Fugro, National Women in PENGASSAN (WIP) chairperson; Yon Paul Naron of PPPRA, re-elected as National Auditor 1; and Timothy Jaiyeoba, National Auditor 2.
Johnson said the officers would be joined by six other officers who had earlier been elected at various zonal elections that took place on May 25, 2017, in Abeokuta, Ogun State, Yola, Adamawa State, and Asaba, Delta State.
The election of zonal chairman and three other notable positions for Port Harcourt zone were nullified due to irregularities.
