The Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN),has punctured reports claiming it accused TotalEnergies Nigeria Limited of maltreatment of Nigerian employees, harassment by expatriates, violations of the Nigerian Local Content Act and racism.
Conveying the union’s position on Tuesday,its Acting General Secretary,Comrade Jerry Amah, said PENGASSAN neither issued any statement on this matter nor provided any document to the media.
He said the cited publication referenced an internal document between staff and their management without authorization, constituting a breach of privacy and confidentiality which the Association strongly condemns.
He added:”PENGASSAN is a structured organization, and only the National Leadership is authorized to communicate the Association’s official position. While we respect the rights of individuals and groups to raise concerns of national interest, we caution against misusing PENGASSAN’s name to lend weight to unverified allegations.
“Such actions risk creating unnecessary workplace tension and damaging the reputation of both the Association and the industry. We wish to state clearly that PENGASSAN has no connection with the said Movement of Intellectuals for National Development (MIND) group.”
He expressed the association’s commitment to dialogue and constructive engagement with all stakeholders in the oil and gas industry, saying its mandate is to protect the welfare and professional interests of our members while ensuring industrial harmony.
He said:”We will not condone sensationalism or unverified claims that may undermine the stability of the sector.
“PENGASSAN is taking immediate steps to investigate the circumstances surrounding this breach and will take appropriate actions against those responsible. In the meantime, we urge all stakeholders to disregard any statement not duly issued by the National Secretariat.”