Workers of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC) have issued a stern warning to the newly appointed Group Chief Executive Officer (GCEO), Bayo Ojulari, urging him not to appoint external candidates to key management roles within the company.
Members of the NNPC Group Executive Council, representing the National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) and the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN), have threatened to shut down operations should the GCEO proceed with hiring external candidates for positions such as executive vice presidents, deputy managers, and managers.
The union leaders addressed a letter to the NNPC Chief Human Resource Officer, which was acknowledged on the same day. In the letter, they emphasized that there are qualified individuals within the company to fill these senior roles.
The letter, referenced as PEN/NUP.GEC.SEC. 04/25/04.2, was titled, ‘Filling of Top Management Positions in NNPC Limited With Externally Recruited Personnel is Unacceptable to PENGASSAN & NUPENG GEC’. It was jointly signed by PENGASSAN’s GEC Secretary, Amaoge Chukwudi, NUPENG’s GEC Secretary, Paulosa O. Paulosa, PENGASSAN’s GEC Chairman, Solomon Orieji, and NUPENG’s GEC Chairman, Baba Kaumi. The letter also conveyed congratulations to Ojulari and other new board members appointed by President Bola Tinubu, who dismissed the previous GCEO Mele Kyari and his team.
The letter reads, “We extend our heartfelt congratulations to the newly appointed Group Chief Executive Officer and Board Members of NNPC Limited. We wish them success in their new roles and pray for excellence in their assignments.”
However, it continues with a clear warning: “We must urgently draw attention to a matter of great concern in order to prevent avoidable repercussions. Our experience has shown that when a new GCEO is appointed from outside the company, there is often a temptation to fill top management positions with external candidates rather than promoting internal staff. As a precautionary measure, we wish to make it clear that we cannot accept or support the external recruitment of senior and management staff, and any such plans should be halted immediately.”
The union leaders pointed out that NNPC is home to thousands of highly skilled professionals across various fields who are more than qualified to step into higher responsibilities as they near retirement. They emphasized that ignoring these internal candidates for advancement in favor of external hires would be unfair, wasteful, and could hinder the company’s growth and profitability.
“NNPC Limited is home to a vast pool of experienced, competent, and dedicated Nigerian professionals, many of whom are members of our unions. These individuals have spent many years building the company’s legacy and are eager to take on more significant roles. To deny them the opportunity for career advancement and to overlook their potential in favor of external recruitment would be highly unjust, wasteful, and disruptive to the company’s ongoing progress,” the union leaders stated.
They further described the appointment of external candidates to management positions as detrimental to staff morale, as it would undermine career growth for internal employees. If this trend persists, they warned, it could lead to a breakdown in industrial harmony.
“We must, therefore, caution against any action that undermines the career advancement of deserving employees. Should this warning be disregarded, we cannot guarantee the continuation of industrial harmony within NNPC Limited,” the letter added.
The union leaders concluded by clearly stating their position: “PENGASSAN and NUPENG unequivocally reject any external recruitment for senior or management roles within the company (specifically for positions within the SS5 to M2 cadre). Any attempt to do so will be met with strong opposition, including a complete shutdown of operations.”
