Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye And James Ojo, Abuja
The National President of Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN), Comrade Francis Olabode Johnson is dead.
A statement jointly signed by the union’s Deputy President, Comrade Frank Esanubi and the General Secretary, Comrade Lumumba Okugbawa, said the late
Johnson died early yesterday at the National Hospital Abuja after a brief illness. Until his death, Comrade F.O. Johnson was a staff of Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and was on his final lap of his eventful and transformational six years tenure as president PENGASSAN, having been elected to that position in June 2014 and re-elected in 2017.
Reacting to the news of his death, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, in a statement noted that Buhari is saddened by the news of his exit. He extolled “his good nature, understanding and forthrightness” which he said helped “in improving the welfare of workers, and contributed immensely to the stability witnessed in the oil sector.”
The President further praised the Labour leader’s broadmindedness and generosity of spirit which he said made him to always put the nation first before pecuniary gains, thus prompting ease of relationship and smooth operations in the oil sector between employers and workers. He acknowledged also what he described as his wise and considerate positions in all negotiations.