PENGASSAN threatens to shut down oil facilities over breach of labour laws

Tina Amanda

The Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria, PENGASSAN, has threatened to shut down oil operations in the Oil and Gas industry over the unlawful termination of its members’ appointment by Fedoz Nigeria Limited.

In a letter signed by the Assistant General Secretary, Comrade Tamuno Dappu and addressed to Chapter and Branch Chairmen and Secretaries of PENGASSAN Port Harcourt Zone, the association said that by terminating the appointments of four of its members who joined the Association for exercising their inalienable rights as guaranteed in Section 40 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the company has grossly violated the extant labour laws.

The letter also stated that the Management had rebuffed all genuine efforts for an amicable resolution of the issue, including the intervention of the Honourable Minister through the Zonal
Director, Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment, Port Harcourt.

The letter, however noted that the Union is left with no other options but to direct its members to be on red alert for an imminent shutdown of oil facilities in their Zone to press home for the reinstatement of the four members whose appointments were brazenly terminated by Fedoz Nigeria Limited contrary to ILO Conventions 87 and 98, extant Labour Laws and the supreme law of the land – the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

It further alerted the Management of Oil and Gas Companies in Port Harcourt Zone and the security agencies of their resolve to shut down oil operations in the Oil and Gas industry because of anti-labour practices and gross violations of the extant labour laws by Fedoz Nigeria Limited.