THE Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) says it has not accused TotalEnergies Nigeria Limited of maltreatment of Nigerian employees, harassment by expatriates, violations of the Nigerian Local Content Act, racism, among others as claimed in a recent publication.

Expressing the concern of the group, its Acting General Secretary, Comrade Jerry Amah Jr, in a statement on Tuesday, said the national leadership of PENGASSAN did not issue statement on the matter or provide any document to the media.

He noted that the publication referenced an internal document between staff and their management without authorisation.

This act, he said, constituted a breach of privacy and confidentiality which the association strongly condemns.

“PENGASSAN is a structured organisation, and only the national leadership is authorised to communicate the association’s official position.

“While we respect the rights of individuals and groups to raise concerns of national interest, we caution against misusing PENGASSAN’s name to lend weight to unverified allegations,” he said in the statement.

Such actions, he pointed out, risked creating unnecessary workplace tension and damaging the reputation of both the association and the industry.

“We wish to state clearly that PENGASSAN has no connection with the said MIND group,” he noted.

He said that the association remains committed to dialogue and constructive engagement with all stakeholders in the oil and gas industry.

“Our mandate is to protect the welfare and professional interests of our members while ensuring industrial harmony. We will not condone sensationalism or unverified claims that may undermine the stability of the sector,” he added.

According to him, PENGASSAN would take immediate steps to investigate the circumstances surrounding the breach and will take appropriate actions against those responsible.

In the meantime, the association urged all stakeholders to disregard any statement not duly issued by the national secretariat. (TRIBUNE)

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