Tag: PENGASSAN

NMDPRA branch defies PENGASSAN leadership, vows to uphold union democracy

Aminu Imam
NMDPRA

A major rift has erupted within Nigeria’s oil workers’ union, as over 500 members of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) Branch have invoked the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) Constitution to hold branch elections, defying what they describe as stone-walling and unilateral control by the union’s national leadership under President Festus Osifo. The staff, under the umbrella of the NMDPRA Congress, have openly rejected the caretaker committee installed by the National Secretariat of PENGASSAN. The decision, announced on June 27, has…

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‘Petrol should be ₦700-₦750/litre’, PENGASSAN insists

Aminu Imam
PENGASSAN on fuel price

…Accuses marketers of exploitation President of the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) Festus Osifo, has claimed that the recurring shutdowns of Nigeria’s state-owned refineries are driven more by political motives than operational challenges. PENGASSAN also accused petroleum marketers of exploiting Nigerians through inflated petrol prices, insisting that the current pump price of Premium Motor Spirit should range between ₦700 and N750 per litre. Speaking at a world press conference on Nigeria’s Oil and Gas industry and state of the nation yesterday in Abuja, Osifo said…

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“Indians taking over jobs in Nigeria’s oil/gas sector”, PENGASSAN laments

Aminu Imam
PENGASSAN laments

The Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria, (PENGASSAN) has queried a high influx of Indian expatriates in the oil and gas industry in the country. PENGASSAN’s President, Festus Osifo, said this yesterday, at the closing of the 3rd edition of the three-day Energy and Labour Summit in Abuja. According to  Osifo, the increasing dominance of expatriates, particularly Indian nationals in the sector was alarming. “They are taking over low-level jobs, which is a blatant abuse of the expatriate quota system”, he stated. “In Sterling Oil today, it…

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FG still paying subsidy for petrol – PENGASSAN

Aminu Imam

The National President of the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria, (PENGASSAN), Festus Osifo, has claimed that the Federal Government was still paying subsidy on petroleum products. Osifo, who is also the president of the Trade Union Congress, (TUC), stated this while speaking on a television programme on Friday. He said due to the cost of crude oil in the international market and the dollar to naira rate, the government still pays subsidy for the product. Osifo said, “They [government] are paying subsidy today. In reality today,…

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‘Nigeria’s N77tr debt profile, calamity of highest proportion’ – PENGASSAN

Aminu Imam

The Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior, Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN), yesterday decried Nigeria’s current debt stock of N77 trillion, describing it as a calamity of the highest proportion. PENGASSAN raised the alarm during its 7th Triennial National Delegates’ Conference (NDC) 2023, which held in Abuja, with the theme: ‘Equity and Social Justice; Advocacy for Equal Opportunities for all Workers’. Speaking during the event, the PENGASSAN President, Comrade Festus Osifo, said Nigeria’s current total public debt profile is quite alarming, mostly when compared to the cost of servicing the debt…

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‘Nigeria’s N77tr debt profile, calamity of highest proportion’ – PENGASSAN

Aminu Imam

The Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior, Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN), yesterday decried Nigeria’s current debt stock of N77 trillion, describing it as a calamity of the highest proportion. PENGASSAN raised the alarm during its 7th Triennial National Delegates’ Conference (NDC) 2023, which held in Abuja, with the theme: ‘Equity and Social Justice; Advocacy for Equal Opportunities for all Workers’. Speaking during the event, the PENGASSAN President, Comrade Festus Osifo, said Nigeria’s current total public debt profile is quite alarming, mostly when compared to the cost of servicing the debt…

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PENGASSAN declares support for removal of fuel subsidy

Aminu Imam

… Pegs petrol price at N360/400 after removal The Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) yesterday declared that it is in support of the impending removal of subsidy on petrol by the Federal Government. Speaking with newsmen at the meeting of its National Executive Council meeting in Abuja, PENGASSAN’s President, Comrade Festus Osifo said the Federal Government can go ahead to remove subsidy, although there is still lack of capacity for local refining. According to Osifo, since crude oil, which constitutes about 90% of the product…

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Crude Oil Theft: ‘Nigerian military guarding oil installations are the chief culprits’ – PENGASSAN

Aminu Imam

Those in the Nigerian military, according to the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN), are to blame for the country’s alarmingly high rate of crude oil theft. Recall that on Wednesday, Senator Akpan Bassey, presided over a Senate probe into oil theft and smuggling. PENGASSAN made this statement at the hearing. According to the national Head of PENGASSAN, Festus Osifo, oil theft is a joint operation involving the military troops tasked with guarding oil installations and the locals operating illegal refineries. He said that lawbreakers were being…

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‘We’ll not join PENGASSAN Strike’ – NUPENG

Aminu Imam

The National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers, (NUPENG), has said it would not join the strike embarked upon by the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria, (PENGASSAN), over the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System, (IPPIS). National Treasurer of NUPENG, Alex Agwanwor disclosed this during a radio programme in Port Harcourt. He expressed optimism that the issues raised in the memo would be addressed by the federal government. Agwanwor, who is the Vice-Chairman of the Nigerian Labour Congress, (NLC), Rivers State chapter said NUPENG has…

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Petrol scarcity looms, as oil workers plan to embark on strike action

Aminu Imam

Nigeria might face the scarcity of Premium Motor Spirit, otherwise known as petrol, in the coming days as oil workers have been ordered to down tools across the country. Oil workers under the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria, (PENGASSAN), were ordered by the association to vacate their duty posts.  According to reports, the workers were order to vacant their post in a letter issued on November 8, 2020. The letter was signed by the General Secretary, PENGASSAN, Lumumba Okugbawa, which was also copied to the Central…

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