INCOMING GOVT. URGED TO FIX NATION’s REFINERIES 

By AKOR SYLVESTER-Abuja

As Nigerians await the May 29, 2023 to usher in new leadership of the country, amidst election tribunal tension, the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) has urged the incoming administration of the country to do all within its reach to see to the conclusion of the current rehabilitation effort and initiatives presently in place to ensure that the nation’s refinery come up in no time.

This is as the association cautioned all those elected against unnecessary excuses, but to see their elections as service to the masses, enjoining them to fulfil their electoral promises.

The President of PENGASSAN, Festus Osifo who addressed the 7th Triennial National Delegate Conference NDC 2023 in Abuja, said the association will continue to lend its voice and support to the policies that would put the nation’s oil and gas sector in good shape to enable it compete with its peers in other parts of the world.

He commended what he described as bold move by operators of Dangote Refinery which he said its coming on stream soon, hoping that its addition will enhance local production, reduce products importation as well as end the era of uncertainties in petroleum products pricing and evils of subsidy payment.

The PENGASSAN President further commended the current NNPC management led by Mallam Mele Kyari for the bold step towards a workable approach to bringing back on stream the ailling refineries and effort to put in place the operations and management strategy that may eventually bring about the desired change in operations model of the refineries.

He said the theme of the conference: Equity and Social Justice; Advocacy for Fair Treatments and Equal Opportunities for all Workers, was carefully selected to reflect the mood of the entire nation, especially at this period of the national life, where the abnormalities are wrongly misinterpreted as the new way of doing things.

On the achievement of the outgoing leadership of the association, Osifo said the association witnessed the passage of the much awaited Petroleum Industry Act (PIA), thanking all stakeholders who contributed to the attainment of the feat.

Stating that the association also saw through and concluded improved CBAs for different branches across the association, he added that the association increased membership by registering new branches and ensured that members didn’t loose jobs.

He further noted that the association protested against crude oil theft and the presentation at the national assembly, the action, he said has yielded fruits in the sector.

The president added that the association organized PENGASSAN Energy and Labour summit where members were primed and prepared. for the unavoidable global energy transition era, stating that the feedbacks from the event were excellent and encouraging.

Meanwhile, the outgoing president of the association, Festus Osifo has been returned as president of the association for another three years term, as other members were elected to different offices in the association.

In his acceptance speech, Osifo promised to do more for the association, as he urged other elected official to be dedicated to duty