Fuel Scarcity Looms: PENGASSAN Issues Seven Days Ultimatum To Madueke

Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN), has issued a seven-day ultimatum to the Minister of Petroleum Resources, Diezani Allison-Madueke, to intervene in the industrial dispute between the management and staff of the Petroleum Equalization (Management) Fund (PEF), Abuja, or face a shut down of petroleum product supplies across the country.

The lingering crisis at PEF has led to a six-month suspension without salary of the PENGASSAN-PEF branch chairman, Mr. Seyi Gambo, by the Executive Secretary of PEF, Mrs. Funke Sharon Kasali.

The letter of suspension dated 16 November, 2011 made available to P.M. NEWS stated that Gambo was suspended for “the commission of a serious act of misconduct in accordance with the board’s adopted condition of service in section 18.10.5 and takes effect from Wednesday, 16 November.”

In its reaction, PENGASSAN has written to the minister, calling for “very high level intervention in the matter.”

The letter stated that the “Petroleum Ministry has, at several instances, rebuffed attempts to meet with you (Madueke) to discuss (sic) on various issues affecting the oil and gas industry especially on promotion and sustainability of the industry.”

The union said it has mobilised its branches across the country to “shut down operations” if the letter is not withdrawn.

PENGASSAN National Public Relations Officer, Deji Kolawole, confirmed the planned protest, saying that the union members are meeting on their plan of action and urged Madueke to act accordingly in order to forestall a crisis that may inflict hardship on Nigerians.

A source in PEF told P.M.NEWS that there has been no love lost between Kasali and Gambo over the former’s ongoing probe by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for alleged mismanagement of N480 million.

“She believes that our chairman was behind the petition to the EFCC. Presently, she has been pressuring other members of the PEF Board to ratify the suspension so that is will not look like a witchhunt,” the source disclosed further.

However, repeated calls and text messages to Kasali on the matter were unanswered.

— Folarin Ademosu