…as FG sets up Ministerial Committee to review conflict
Oil workers under the aegis of Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) on Tuesday suspended their strike following the intervention of Ibe Kachukwu, Minister of State for Petroleum Resources.
The association last week embarked on industrial action to protest the sack of some of its members. The agreement was reached at the end of the tripartite meeting held between Federal Ministry of Petroleum Resources, Mobil Producing Nigeria (MPN) and PENGASSAN in Abuja.
The communiqué was signed by Francis Johnson, PENGASSAN President, Udom Inoyo on behalf of MPN, Falonipe Amos and Isa Inuya on behalf of
Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC).
To this end, the parties resolved to set up an 8-member Ministerial Committee to be chaired by Yemi Ladipo, NNPC’s Group Manager, Human
Resources. “Following the intervention of the honourable Minister of State for Petroleum Resources and after extensive review, the parties resolved
as follows: that management action on the union members impacted in the involuntary separation program is hereby suspended pending the
submission of the report by the ministerial Committee and the determination of the issues arising from the report by the honourable
Minister.
“It was further agreed that management is free to implement for non-represented employees and any voluntary cases already signed on
to.
“That union members involuntary impacted by the separation program will remain on MPN payroll but shall not return to work pending the
conclusion of the review of the ministerial Committee.
“The recommendations of the Committee to the honourable Minister should be submitted not later than January 10, 2017. That all
unresolved issues related to employment separation and all matters related thereto shall be catalogued by the committee and forwarded to
the honourable Minister of State for Petroleum Resources for resolution.
“Both parties recognize their obligations under the CBA and there shall be no retribution by either party. “The current strike action embarked upon by PENGASSAN MPN branch is hereby suspended,” the communiqué read.
