Serious gbege don land for inside Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) as some members don accuse their National President, Festus Osifo, and the General Secretary, Lumumba Okugbawa, say dem dey do “undemocratic waka” and dey break union law anyhow.
According to petition wey dem send go Registrar of Trade Unions for Ministry of Labour, the people wey talk say dem be concerned members from the NMDPRA branch accuse the national body say dem dey ignore branch rights and dey abuse power.
Dem talk say all the letters and meetings wey dem don try hold with national leaders no get any response.
“We don tire to dey beg dem. National leadership dey act like say dem no send us,” dem write.
“Dem dey violate our union constitution and dey suppress democratic engagement inside PENGASSAN.”
Over 523 members of the NMDPRA branch sign the complaint, accuse national office say dem hijack their branch election and put Caretaker Committee (CTC) by force.
The letter wey national body send on June 27 talk say dem don form CTC to manage the branch, but members reject am say na “illegal and unconstitutional.”
Dem later run go Minister of Labour and Employment, wey beg both sides make dem calm down while e look into the matter. But before sand even settle, the national leadership still go ahead inaugurate the caretaker committee.
Now, the matter don scatter everywhere as branch members dey beg Federal Government make e enter the matter quick before the union collapse.
“We no go keep quiet again. Make government protect union democracy and stop all this power show,” one of the members yarn.
As e be so, PENGASSAN dey face serious internal crisis wey fit shake the whole oil and gas sector if dem no settle am on time.
