…Say move undermines internal staff, threatens industrial harmony
A storm is brewing in the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation Limited (NNPCL) following strong opposition by two of its major workers’ unions, NUPENG and PENGASSAN, over plans by the new management to fill top management positions with externally recruited personnel.
In a strongly worded joint letter dated April 4, the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) and the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) kicked against the decision, warning of dire industrial consequences should the move proceed.
The protest follows last week’s announcement by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu of a major shake-up at the apex national oil firm, with Mr. Bayo Ojulari appointed as the new Group Chief Executive Officer (GCEO) and Ahmadu Kida named as non-executive chairman, effectively ending the tenure of Mele Kyari and Pius Akinyelure.
The unions, in their letter addressed to the NNPCL Chief Human Resources Officer and copied to the GCEO and other top executives, described the plan to sideline internal staff for external appointees as “unjust, wasteful and unacceptable.”
Signed by key union leaders including Amaoge Chukwudi and Solomon Orieji of PENGASSAN, and Paulosa Paulosa and Baba Kaumi of NUPENG, the letter states:
> “We cannot accept, accommodate, or support the recruitment of senior and management staff from outside NNPC Limited… Any plan in such direction should be stopped immediately.”
They argue that NNPCL is home to thousands of experienced and dedicated Nigerian professionals who have contributed immensely to the company’s legacy and deserve opportunities for career advancement.
> “Denying them such opportunities is grossly unjust and will disrupt the company’s steady progress towards greater profitability and efficiency,” the unions stated.
They further warned that any attempt to appoint external candidates into the SS5 to M2 cadre will be met with strong resistance, including a total shutdown of operations.
> “If this warning is ignored, we cannot guarantee the continuation of industrial harmony within NNPCL,” the unions cautioned.
While congratulating the newly appointed GCEO and Board Members, the unions emphasized that succession planning within the organization must be respected and upheld as part of ongoing reforms under the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA).
As tension simmers, the response from NNPCL’s new leadership will determine whether the situation escalates into a full-blown industrial crisis in the country’s most strategic sector.
