A Civil Society group, the Movement of Intellectuals for National Development (MIND) has condemned a recent statement issued by the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN).
PENGASSAN in the statement distanced itself from the petition submitted by MIND to the President of the Nigerian Senate regarding the persistent and well-documented ill-treatment of Nigerian employees by TotalEnergies in Nigeria.
MIND stated that it found PENGASSAN’s response deeply disappointing, evasive, and fundamentally inconsistent with the core responsibilities of a labour union that claims to exist for the protection and welfare of its members.
MIND Western coordinator Ebi Warekromo stated that MIND’s petition was not based on conjecture or hearsay, but grounded in verifiable facts, the life experiences of affected Nigerian workers,
It added that the petition contained written correspondence authored by the local branch of PENGASSAN itself.
According to him, the local branch of PENGASSAN had raised concerns about unfair labour practices and managerial excesses within TotalEnergies Nigeria.
It includes hostile work environments and allegations of bullying and intimidation by expatriate staff, such as Jean-Christophe Agrati and Sabine Brochard.
He stated further that other issues raised serious security breaches and blatant local content violations, particularly the illegal perpetuation of expatriate positions beyond approved tenures, in clear contravention of the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry Content Development (NOGICD) Act.
‘’To now describe these documents as internal correspondence not meant for public consumption is both weak and disingenuous.
“Issues involving workers’ rights violations, systemic oppression, and abuse of corporate power cease to be internal once they remain unresolved and continue to harm Nigerian workers.
‘’Confidentiality cannot be weaponized to shield injustice. Internal engagement is only defensible when it delivers results; when it fails repeatedly, escalation to public and institutional oversight becomes not only justified, but necessary,’’ it stated.
Warekromo lamented that it is troubling for PENGASSAN’s national leadership to distance itself from issues it has already acknowledged in writing, stressing that it raises serious questions about the union’s independence, credibility, and willingness to confront powerful corporate interests on behalf of its members.
The statement read in part ‘’MIND wishes to state clearly that our intervention is not an attack on PENGASSAN as an institution.
“It is a response to a vacuum of effective representation that has allowed oppressive practices to persist unchecked. Where unions fail or refuse to act decisively, civil society has both the right and the duty to step in.
‘’If PENGASSAN truly has nothing to hide, nothing to fear, and nothing to explain, it should welcome rather than resist public scrutiny.
‘’Accordingly, MIND formally challenges the leadership of PENGASSAN to make itself available for a transparent public hearing before the Nigerian Senate, alongside other relevant stakeholders, to openly address the substance of the grievances raised against TotalEnergies Nigeria.
‘’Attempts to intimidate whistleblowers or investigate breaches of confidentiality only deepen public concern and reinforce the perception of institutional complicity.
‘’The Nigerian public, Nigerian workers, and the Senate of the Federal Republic deserve honesty, not distancing statements, procedural excuses, or selective amnesia.
‘’MIND remains steadfast in its commitment to justice, fairness, and accountability in Nigeria’s extractive sector.
‘’We urge PENGASSAN’s leadership to reflect deeply on the path it is choosing and to realign itself with the workers whose dues, trust, and mandate give it legitimacy.’’