Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) has threatened to withdraw its members from all offices and field locations over the purchase of Eni Nigeria and Nigerian Agip Oil Company Limited (NAOC) by Oando PLC.

The Branch Chairman, AGIP Group PENGASSAN, Port Harcourt, Eyong Survival, who issued the threat, yesterday, frowned on Oando’s acquisition of 100 per cent of the shares of Nigerian Agip Oil Company Limited (NAOC) and Eni Nigeria outright sale of its 20 per cent equity share in NAOC Joint Venture (JV) to Oando without interfacing or pre-informing the union.

According to him, the union had met with the company’s management when the sale of NAOC JV assets to Oando filtered the air. But the Managing Director denied, saying there was no plan for such.

Survival lamented that the sales of NAOC JV will throw many of its members into the labour market, considering the current hardship in the country.

“The Managing Director of Eni Nigeria, Fabrizio Bolondi, invited the workforce to a meeting on the 4 September 2023 and callously informed us that Eni has sold its 20% equity share in NAOC JV, comprising OML 60, 61, 62 & 63, covering parts of Rivers, Delta, Bayelsa and Imo States to Oando Nigeria Limited, transferring all her assets and liabilities to Oando, without recourse to outstanding financial obligations to the workers, vis-a-vis their employee savings plan, pension and gratuity.

“It is imperative to note that the union, being the workers’ representative, was not pre-formed before the commencement of the sales agreement.

“Not long from date, the union on hearing rumours of the sales of the assets, held a meeting with the management on July 12, 2023, where the question was put forward to Eni Nigeria management if they had any plan of selling NAOC JV assets to OANDO or any other company, but the Managing Director vehemently denied any plan of selling the JV assets.

“Instead, the MD made presentations on the planned injection of IPP phase two generated powers to the national grid, as well as possible conversion of OPL 245 to OML by the government.

“By the announcement of the sale of NAOC JV assets to OANDO, over 3,000 indigenous workers may be thrown into the labour market as the details of their sales transaction were not made known.

“At the moment, a lot of NAOC workers have suddenly developed some health challenges as a result of that callous announcement made by the MD of Eni Nigeria. The union position is for due process to be followed by Eni management.”