From ONYEKACHUKWU MELUWA, WARRI
Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment has invited the vice chancellor of the Federal University of Petroleum Resources, FUPRE, Delta State, to a tripartite meeting, following a petition by the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria, PENGASSAN, over a brewing dispute in the institution.
In a letter signed by F. E Mokena on behalf of the Chief Labour Inspector and dated July 21, the union alleged that the management of FUPRE refused to disburse their members Earned Academic Allowance, EAA, and Earned Allowance, EA, which the federal government released to federal tertiary institutions on May 28.
“In the said letter, the union alleged that your management decided to apply ‘Divide and Rule’ to disburse EAA and EA for federal tertiary institutions in contrary to Section 40 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and ILO Conventions 87 and 98,” the letter stated.
In response, the ministry said it had become imperative to step into the matter to prevent a breakdown of industrial peace and ensure harmony in the university sector.
The tripartite meeting is scheduled to hold today (Thursday) at 11am at the District Labour Office, 3 Okere Road, Warri.
All parties have been reminded of the provisions of Section 18(1) of the Trade Dispute Act Cap T8 and T9 LFN 2004, which prohibits any strike or lockout while the ministry is intervening.
