By Johnbosco Agbakwuru
ABUJA – THE Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria, PENGASSAN, has debunked what it described as “sensationalist” report, branding it a dangerous breach of confidentiality that threatens industrial harmony in Nigeria’s vital oil and gas sector.
In a statement issued by its acting general secretary, Dr. Jerry Amah, Tuesday,
PENGASSAN categorically denied accusing TotalEnergies Nigeria Limited of maltreating Nigerian employees, expatriate harassment, racism, or violations of the Nigerian Local Content Act.
The association accused unnamed actors of hijacking an internal staff-management document and peddling it to the media without authorization.
According to the statement: “The National Leadership of PENGASSAN categorically states that it has neither issued any statement on this matter nor provided any document to the media.
“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.”
PENGASSAN, which represents senior staff across the industry, warned those exploiting its name.
“We caution against misusing PENGASSAN’s name to lend weight to unverified allegations,” it stated. “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 MIND group.”
The association underscored its rigid hierarchy: “PENGASSAN is a structured organization, and only the national leadership is authorized to communicate the association’s official position.”
The statement further stated: “PENGASSAN is taking immediate steps to investigate the circumstances surrounding this breach and will take appropriate actions against those responsible.”
It however, urged all stakeholders to disregard any statement not duly issued by the national secretariat.
It reiterated its mandate to members, saying: “Our mandate is to protect the welfare and professional interests of our members while ensuring industrial harmony. We will not condone sensationalism or unverified claims that may undermine the stability of the sector.”
“The Association remains committed to dialogue and constructive engagement with all stakeholders in the oil and gas industry,” it added.
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