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From Adanna Nnamani, Abuja
The Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) has denied allegations circulating in the media that it accused TotalEnergies Nigeria Limited of maltreating Nigerian workers and violating the Nigerian Local Content Act.
In a statement issued by its acting General Secretary, Jerry Amah, on Tuesday, PENGASSAN said a recent publication in the media, which linked the association to claims of harassment by expatriates, racism, and other infractions against Nigerians, was false and misleading.
The association stressed that it neither issued any statement on the matter nor released any document to the media, noting that the publication relied on an internal correspondence between staff and management that was obtained and published without authorisation.
According to PENGASSAN, the use of the internal document amounted to a serious breach of privacy and confidentiality, which it strongly condemned.
The union further clarified that it is a structured organisation and that only its national leadership is authorised to speak on its behalf or communicate its official position on issues affecting the oil and gas industry.
“While we respect the rights of individuals and groups to raise concerns of national interest, we caution against misusing PENGASSAN’s name to lend weight to unverified allegations. 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 remains committed to dialogue and constructive engagement with all stakeholders in the oil and gas industry. 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.
“PENGASSAN is taking immediate steps to investigate the circumstances surrounding this breach and will take appropriate actions against those responsible. In the meantime, we urge all stakeholders to disregard any statement not duly issued by the National Secretariat,” it stated.
