The meeting between The Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) and the Federal Government of Nigeria has ended Inconclusive.
A statement issued by the union’s President, Mr Felix Osifo, disclosed that the meeting was deadlocked because of Federal Government’s inability to address some of PENGASSAN’s demands.
The Heritage Times had earlier reported that the PENGASSAN embarked on an indefinite strike on Monday following the disagreement between the union and the Federal Government, over the latter’s directive on registration of its members on the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System (IPPIS) among other demands.
“PENGASSAN maintained that Petroleum Training Institute and Petroleum Product Pricing Regulatory Agency, must be paid using the harmonised template of 2015.
“This has already been used by the budget office, appropriated by the National Assembly and signed by President Muhammadu Buhari into law.
“Also, that a high-powered committee, comprising Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas workers and PENGASSAN Presidents, should be raised to settle the outstanding issues surrounding the IPPIS platform,” Osifo said in the statement.
“For the 22 months salary arrears, government agreed to pay 50 per cent and that the balance would be worked out after Federation Accounts Allocation Committee has met.
“PENGASSAN has agreed, but insisted that there should be a definite date for payment of the balance,’’ he said.
The president however noted that the Union is expecting to hear from the panel soon.
