'We don’t owe staff salaries' - NUPRC boss

<h2>The management of the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) says it does not owe staff salaries and that all unpaid claims of the protesting staff have been processed.</h2>, <p>CCE, NUPRC stated that the management found the protest strange because it had earlier invited the staff to meet with the commissioner to ensure that their demands were met and also ascertain what had been paid and if there were still outstanding.</p>, <span>Mr-Gbenga-Komolafe-CCE-NUPRC-e1691048520432</span>, <p>Mr Gbenga Komolafe, Commission Chief Executive (CCE), NUPRC, disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday, August 2, 2023 in Abuja.</p>, <p>Komolafe spoke sequel to the two-day protest by some staff of the commission who are aggrieved with the management over non-payment of allowances and seven months outstanding salary. The protesting staff demanded the sack or resignation of Komolafe.</p>, <p>They also alleged poor welfare, non-payment of outsourced personnel and 2023 staff medicals, outstanding upfront allowances, non-remittance of pension deductions from staff salaries, poor working environment, insufficient working tools and outstanding salaries payment, among others.</p>, <p>The protesters made up of staff of the local branch of the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria had on Tuesday and Wednesday barricaded the entrance of the head office of the NUPRC in Abuja.</p>, <p>Komolafe, however, told NAN that outstanding entitlement (claims) and all issues the protesting staff raised and itemised in their letter dated July 31 had been settled because the payments had already been processed.</p>, <p>He said obligations relating to claims made by the union had been fulfilled and efforts were already in place to achieve closure on the pending items.</p>, <p>Komolafe said the management found the protest strange because it had earlier invited the staff to meet with the commissioner to ensure that their demands were met and also ascertain what had been p