The National Chairman of the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN), Festus Osifo, has been accused of violating the union’s constitution and engaging in undemocratic practices.
In a petition obtained by Journalists, members of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) branch of PENGASSAN alleged that the union’s national leadership has ignored repeated attempts to resolve long-standing internal issues.
Addressed to the Registrar of Trade Unions at the Ministry of Labour and Productivity, the petition also raised concerns about the conduct of PENGASSAN’s General Secretary, Lumumba Okugbawa.
The aggrieved members urged the federal government to step in and restore order within the union.
In the petition, the branch members claimed they had made several attempts to engage the national leadership constructively on issues affecting their welfare and the administration of their branch, in line with the PENGASSAN constitution.
However, they said, all their efforts and numerous letters had been disregarded.
According to the group, the actions and inactions of the national leaders amount to abuse of office and a gross violation of the union’s constitutional provisions regarding branch rights, democratic processes, and internal dispute resolution.
Citing frustration over the situation, more than 523 members—representing over two-thirds of the NMDPRA branch—called on the Ministry of Labour to intervene to safeguard internal democracy and due process in the association.
The petitioners also accused the national leadership of interfering in their branch’s electoral process by imposing a caretaker committee.
In a letter dated June 27, PENGASSAN’s national officers announced the constitution of a committee to oversee the NMDPRA branch.
However, the branch rejected the move, describing it as unconstitutional, unacceptable, and a clear violation of union rules.
Source – BarristerNG
(vitalnewsngr.com)
