Promises to fight for members, Nigerian masses

By Victor Ahiuma-Young

There are indications that the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria, PENGASSAN, will witness a new dawn with the emergence of a First-Class degree holder in Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering from the University of Portsmouth United Kingdom as its President.

The new president who is also an alumnus of Herriot Watt University in Edinburgh, UK where he obtained a Masters’ of Science degree in (M.Sc.) Petroleum Engineering and staff of Total Nigeria Plc was elected 16th President of PENGASSAN, at the 6th Triennial National Delegates’ Conference, NDC, of the association in Abuja.

At the conference, Osifo defeated his sole challenger Roland Fredericks of Shell Petroleum Development Company, SPDC, by 200 to 183 votes.

READ ALSO: NUPENG sees stronger NUPENGASSAN as Festus becomes new PENGASSAN president

Also elected to serve alongside the new President at the national level of the Association into the Central Working Committee, CWC, include Duru Mathew of Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, as Deputy President, Kelechi Ugwulo, as the National Industrial Relations Officer, NIRO,  Others are Victor Ononokpono, as National Treasurer and Kabiru Dan’Azumi, as Financial Secretary,  Anietie Udoh, as National Public Relations Officer, Charles Ogbowu, as National Auditor 1, Bosun Olaniyi, as the National Auditor 2, Ngozi Chiwendu as Women in PENGASSAN.

A total of 384 delegates drawn from the Association branches nationwide participated in the election in NDC.   They were sworn-in by the Association’s General Secretary, Lumumba Okugbawa.

Osifo in his acceptance speech, promised among others,  to fight for the protection of members’ jobs and improved welfare.

He admonished labour leaders on the need for in unity in the Nigerian labour movement, promising to “work with like minds anywhere they are and could be located to champion the course of the represented and the masses in general.”

In a congratulatory message, President of the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers, NUPENG, Prince William Akporeha , congratulated the new president and members of the association for a successful conference.

Akporeha said “NUPENG congratulates Festus Osifo on his emergence as PENGASSAN President. This is a victory for a stronger labour movement and NUPENGASSAN.”

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Earlier in his valedictory message, out-gone President, Ndukaku Ohaeri, among others, lamented that the government had talked a lot about diversification of the economy, but until today, nothing of such had been done.

According to him, revenue from oil and gas could no longer sustain the country, stressing that this was the time to walk out the talk, saying “We expect to see government coordinate responses towards divestment from some public agencies that will allow for private participation and freeing resources for key areas of need.

“We have talked a lot about diversification of the economy and this is the time for its implementation as a matter of emergency. The truth is that revenue from the oil and gas sector can no longer sustain as a nation and this is the most auspicious time to walk the talk.”

Vanguard