The Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) has firmly rejected the planned sale of Shell Petroleum Development Company Limited (SPDC) onshore assets, citing concerns over the unknown consortium intending to purchase these assets.
PENGASSAN, in a statement by its General Secretary, Lumumba Okugbawa, expressed dissatisfaction with the consortium, comprising ND Western Limited, Aradel Holdings Pic, The Petrolin Group, FIRST Exploration and Petroleum Development Company Limited, and the Waltersmith Group.
The association highlighted the lack of a proven track record in managing diverse assets and raised concerns about the treatment of workers by some entities within the consortium.
Okugbawa stated, “We reject without equivocation all the terms affecting employees that were communicated in the presentation to our members. Any attempt to transfer the assets without resolving issues affecting our members will be met with the stiffest resistance the industry has ever witnessed.”
PENGASSAN urged the consortium to transparently communicate its intentions and engage in serious discussions with the association.
The association has also issued a strike notice, putting industry regulators, joint venture partners, and other stakeholders on alert.