DSS ACCUSES TOTAL OF CAUSING ONGOING OIL WORKERS’ STRIKE

The Department of State
Services, DSS on Tuesday accused the management
of Total Producing Limited for causing the ongoing
strike by members of Nigeria Union of Petroleum and
Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) and the Petroleum
and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria
(PENGASSAN) which has caused fuel scarcity across
the country.
This was disclosed yesterday by Marilyn Ogar, the
Deputy Director, Public Relations of the DSS at a
press briefing in Abuja.
According to her, PENGASSAN in November wrote to
the DSS to make a formal complaint about the
transfer of one of their elected officials, Elo Victor
Ogbonda, to Lagos from Port Harcourt by Total after
she was elected as zonal executive of the union.
“The transfer was seen as a design by Total to
frustrate her from performing her functions at the
Union’s Secretariat in Port Harcourt.
“Consequently, this service summoned the Managing
Director of Total, Elizabeth Proust, on November 5,
2014, to resolve the dispute.
“It was agreed that Ogbonda would be re-instated,
posted back to Port Harcourt and granted leave of
absence for the period she would serve as an
executive of PENGASSAN.
“However, PENGASSAN was later to inform the
service that Total had reneged on its promise to
recall Ogbonda and that she remained sacked.
“Consequently, this Service contacted Total and was
informed that the company will not go back on its
sack order.
“All entreaties to the company failed, thus
culminating in the current strike and attendant
scarcity,” Ogar explained.
She said the Service is not resting on its oars as it
was still meeting with the management of Total with a
view to addressing the contentious issues.
“The Service,” she said, “is also appealing to
Nigerians of means, who have one relationship or the
other with Total to “ask the company not to allow
this obviously inconsequential issue to bring
hardship on the generality of the Nigerian populace.
“We will not stand aloof and see Nigerians suffer. We
hope they see reasons and address this issue
urgently,” she added.

Posted by Donatus Joshua at 07:25