Unions in the oil and gas sector on
Monday pledged support for the ‘transformation stride’ of the Group Managing
Director (GMD) of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) Dr
Maikanti Baru.
The Petroleum and Natural Gas
Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) and the Nigeria Union of
Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) made the pledge in Abuja in a
statement by Mr Ndu Ughamadu, NNPC Group General Manager Group Public Affairs
Division.
The Minister of State for
Petroleum Resources, Dr Ibe Kachikwu had accused Baru of flouting contractual
agreements, creating a fear culture in the corporation and insubordination
among others.
Ughamadu, reacting to the
allegations on Monday, however, said the Minister’s allegations were not true
as due process had been followed in the corporation’s various activities.
Ughamadu said at a solidarity
visit to the GMD, the National President of PENGASSAN, Mr Francis Johnson, said
the unions and its members considered it appropriate to rally round Baru and
the NNPC Management to pledge their support.
”The unions’ support for the GMD
was based on his ability to walk his talk since assuming office last year.
”The National body of PENGASSAN
and all the NNPC in-house unions are here today to show our support for you.
”You have brought stability to
the NNPC and we are happy today that staff morale is high. You were Chairman of
NNPC Anti-Corruption Committee for over five years and that was what informed
your appointment as GMD of NNPC.
”Today, all the bullets you are
taking are on behalf of members of staff. We will continue to pray for you, God
will continue to guide and shield you,” Ughamadu quoted Johnson.
Ughamadu said the unionist called
on Nigerians to be cautious of their comments on the controversy, adding that any
wrong information was capable of discouraging investors from the oil and gas
industry.
He said the NNPC Group Chairman
of PENGASSAN, Mr Sale Abdullahi, who also spoke during the solidarity visit
disclosed that part of the unions’ concern had to do with the need to protect
not only the GMD but the NNPC as an institution.
”Baru had streamlined the
processes and procedures in the Corporation leading to the full restructuring
which was beginning to yield positive results.
”Today, the GMD and NNPC
Management receive inputs from staff and this gesture by Dr Baru has given
members of staff a sense of belonging.
”Today, our inputs are being
implemented and we are highly motivated.”
Other union leaders who were at
the meeting to lend support were the Group Chairman of NNPC NUPENG, Udofia
Benjamin and Chairman of NNPC Corporate Headquarters Chapter of PENGASSAN,
Mathew Duru.
Also speaking, Baru described the
allegations of award of contracts without regard to due process as unfounded
and unfortunate.
He explained that as a former
chairman of the NNPC Anti-Corruption Committee, he would be the last person to
breach the procurement process by disregarding extant laws and rules.
The GMD said both the NNPC Act
and Public Procurement Act vested procurement powers on the NNPC Tenders Board,
the President and the Federal Executive Council (FEC) depending on the cost
threshold, stressing that the NNPC Board had no role whatsoever in the process.
”I know for those of you who are
following what we are doing here, you know that there’s no money lost and no
process has been breached.
”Our contracting process is
perfect and we will continue to follow the process. The NNPC Board has no role,
I repeat, has no role as far as the contracting process is concerned,” Baru
said.
He said the crude term contract
and the DSDP agreements were not contract as such but pre-qualification of
off-takers of crude oil.
”The case of DSDP, is of those
that will take crude and give us products in return.
”So there is no value to them.
But humongous figures have been put forward mainly to incite the public, it is
most unfortunate.”
(NAN)
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How will they nt rally be hind baru . Tgey are all housa fulani in power always loving what is wrong and calling it their right.a word of advice from biafra sepratist grp bsds . Be prepared for wt is coming .the north wll regreat their actions soon enough
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