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From Femi Folaranmi, Yenagoa
The rift between the Minister of State Petroleum (Oil) who doubles as Chairman of the Governing Council of the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board, Senator Heineken Lokpobiri and the Executive Secretary of the Board, Felix Omatsola Ogbe assumed a new dimension with the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) NCDMB Branch shutting down operations.
Ogbe had on March 4, 2024 in an internal memo announced the redeployment and promotion of six staff including Mr Ifeanyi Ukoha who was moved from General Manager, Accounts and Finance to Ag Director, Finance and Personnel Management.
Also moved were Mofe Megbele, Manager Stakeholders Management who was moved to Senior Technical Assistant, Chidinma Adiele, Manager Human Resources Management moved to Manager Corporate Communications, Gloria Onajero Osiebe, senior Manager, Learning and Development who became Ag GM Human Resources Management, Mildred Eskor- Brown, Officer, Regulatory Compliance of Legal Services and Obinna Ofili who was appointed Advisor.
There have been grumblings over the redeployment with some staff complaining that it did not follow due process especially that of Ukoha who was believed to have had his appointment regularised when he had clocked 50 years in violation of extant civil service regulations which places emphasis on age criteria as eligibility for employment.
The Office of the Minister in his capacity as the Chairman of the Governing Council had on 5th March in a letter to Ogbe pointed out that the Nigeria Oil and Gas Industry Content Act 2010 ‘’does not empower the Executive Secretary to redeploy or appoint Management Staff’’
The letter reminded the Executive Secretary that he does not have the authority to ‘’overturn deployment/redeployment’’ made by the Minister in his capacity as the Chairman of the Governing Council.
The Executive Secretary was therefore ‘’strongly advised not to usurp the powers of the Governing Council on any subject matter’’ while ‘’redeployments announced by the ES to all staff on 4th March, 2024 is hereby is hereby overturned’’.
PENGASSAN in a letter to Ogbe on Monday March 11th signed by the chairman, Benson Inifie, Simeon Esiekpe, secretary and Yague Tubikumo James, Industrial Relations, served notice that they would be proceeding on strike over the ‘’ seeming impasse’’ between him and Lokpobiri.
‘’The Executive Secretary is kindly invited to note that PENGASSAN as a labour union is established for the protection of members’ jobs and improved welfare. However, the seeming impasse has threatened our members monthly salaries, travel claims, and other approvals that will enhance the welfare of our members. You may recall that all travel claims submitted by our members for processing and payment and other approval memos are being left unattended to as the impasse has created two DFPMs and GMs HR respectively.’’
The union noted that its indefinite strike will continue pending the resolution of the issue surrounding redeployment of staff.
