PENGASSAN Threatens Total Withdrawal Of Members Over Sale Of Eni, Agip Companies

The Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) has threatened a total shutdown and to withdraw all its members from offices and field locations over the alleged sale of Eni Nigeria and the Nigerian Agip Oil Company Limited to Oando Plc.

The Branch Chairman of Agip Group PENGASSAN in Port Harcourt, Rivers State capital, Eyong Survival, issued the notice while speaking in Port Harcourt on Tuesday, PUNCH reports.

Survival faulted Oando’s acquisition of 100 percent shares of the Nigerian Agip Oil Company Limited and Eni Nigeria’s outright sale of its 20 percent equity share in NAOC JV to Oando without interfacing or pre-informing the union.

According to him, the union had met with the company’s management when the sale of NAOC JV assets to Oando, filtered into the public domain, but the managing director allegedly denied that such a plan existed.

Survival who reportedly lamented that the sale of NAOC JV will throw over 3000 of its members into the labour market considering the present harsh economic situation in Nigeria said, “The Managing Director of Eni Nigeria, Mr. Fabrizio Bolondi, invited the workforce to a meeting on the 4th of September, 2023, and callously informed us that Eni has sold its 20 per cent equity share in NAOC JV, comprising OML 60, 61, 62 & 63, covering parts of Rivers, Delta, Bayelsa and Imo States to Oando Nigeria Limited, transferring all her assets and liabilities to O and O, without recourse to outstanding financial obligations to the workers, vis-avis their employee savings plan, pension and gratuity.

“It is imperative to note that the Union being the workers representative was not pre-informed before the commencement of the sales agreement.

“Not long from date, the Union on hearing rumours on sales of the assets, held a meeting with the Management on 12 July 2023, where the question was put forward to Eni Nigeria Management if they had any plan of selling the NAOC JV assets to O and O or any other Company, but the managing director vehemently denied any plan of selling the JV assets.

“Instead the MD made presentations on planned injection of IPP phase 2 generated power to the national grid, as well as, possible conversion of OPL 245 to OML by the Government.

“By the announcement of the sale of NAOC JV assets to OANDO, over 3000 indigenous workers may be thrown into the labour market as the details of their sales transaction were not made known.

“At the moment, a lot of NAOC workers have suddenly developed some health challenges as a result of that callous announcement made by the MD of Eni Nigeria.

“The union position is for due process to be followed by Eni Management. The Union has ordered a total withdrawal of her members from all offices and field locations of the company until a proper agreement is reached with Eni Nigeria and AGIP Group PENGASSAN.

“By that withdrawal action, gas supply to Indoranma has been affected, daily oil production on 30, 000nbbls of crude oil has been suspended, about 10mscf of LNG gas to NLNG has been cut off, and about 350MW of Okpai IPP power to the national grid has been shut down.”

He further noted that prior to the shocking announcement of the NAOC JV sale, the management had pulled out all Italian expatriates from field locations.