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TUC accuses PENGASSAN president of instigating crisis

By on April 23, 2014

The leadership of Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC) has accused the President of Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN), Babatunde Ogun, of instigating monumental crisis in the labour centre.

About 14 affiliates of TUC had sent a protest to the President-General of TUC, Bobboi Kaigaima, criticising his leadership style since his assumption of office in June 2013.

However, in response, the TUC Secretary-General, Musa Lawal, denied the allegations, stating that the Congress has been carrying all its affiliates along in its administration.

The TUC spokesman accused Ogun of undermining the present leadership of the labour centre, adding that the PENGASSAN President has been mobilising some affiliates against the leadership of the Congress since he lost the election.

According to him, since Ogun lost the TUC president election to Kaigaima, he mobilised all affiliates loyal to him to cease paying their check of dues.

He explained that the Congress was constrained financially in the discharge of its responsibilities due to the refusal of some affiliates to redeem their monthly dues to the labour centre.

Top among the affiliates is PENGASSAN, which he noted owed about N49 million until March 2014 when it redeemed N20 million thereby reducing the debt to N29 million.

He listed other affiliates to include Chemical and Non-Metallic Products Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (CANMPSSA), Hotel and Personal Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (HAPSSSA), National Association of Pilots and Engineers (NAAPE), and Automobile and Boatyard Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (AUTOBATE).

Others are Pulp Paper, Printing and Paper Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (Paper & Paper), Shop and Distributive Trade Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (SHOPDIS), and Shipping and Freight Forwarders Senior Staff Association (SHPPING), Precision Electrical and Related Equipment Senior Staff Association (PERESSA) and Academic Staff Union of Secondary Schools (ASUSS).

“It is interesting that since Ogun, of PENGASSAN lost the election of the Presidency of TUC, he has done everything possible to undermine TUC leadership under President Bobboi Bala Kaigama. It is unfortunate that affiliate of the immediate past president of PENGASSAN, Peter Esele is the one spare-heading the diatribe against TUC leadership.

“Under Esele, all affiliates gave support to TUC leadership including those who lost elections to him. This is what we call sportsmanship in election. However based on the reaction of Ogun on his loss of the election, it is our belief that PENGASSAN’s current leadership believes that if PENGASSAN is not the president in TUC, then all can go to Hell,” Lawal said.

On allegations that Kaigaima single-handedly selected those that represented TUC at the National Conference, Lawal explained: “When the issue of National Conference came up, all affiliates especially those who at critical period abandoned their responsibilities to TUC began to ingratiate themselves to TUC leadership, all in an effort to get a nomination.”

Speaking further, he added that after consultation with affiliates of good standing, nominations were submitted to the Presidency for the conference. Nominations, he noted went to affiliates that have been alive to their responsibilities stressing that this was in line with the Constitution.

On allegations that meetings are not being held, Lawal said the present leadership has held seven meetings which were atgtened by members of the National Administrative Council (NAC), Central Working Committee (CWC) and the National Executive Council (NEC) noting that none of the meetings above was attended by Ogun or any person from PENGASSAN.

He emphasised that the current leadership has not in any way breached the Constitution noting that “If anyone has breached the constitution, it is the affiliates that stopped paying their dues, in sympathy with Babatunde Ogun’s lost bid to the Presidency of TUC.”

Meanwhile, he said ground breaking progress has been made in housing project and transport business adding that the present leadership have set up an efficient up-to-date modern office in Abuja to ease the administrative machinery.

 

 

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