The Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) has warned that efforts to curb insecurity will continue to face serious obstacles unless governments address worsening poverty and the declining living standards of Nigerians.
The association also urged the authorities to strengthen local governments so they can respond more effectively to the needs of people at the grassroots.
PENGASSAN President, Festus Osifo, made the call at a dinner organised in honour of former leaders of the association who contributed to its growth since its establishment in 1978.
The gathering brought together former presidents, deputy presidents, general secretaries, zonal chairmen, zonal secretaries and other former national officers.
Osifo said the country’s economic difficulties had created problems that extended well beyond the workplace, noting that the burden was increasingly being felt by workers who were themselves struggling to cope with the financial needs of those around them.
He said, “a worker may have a good income but could quickly find such earnings depleted by the responsibility of supporting unemployed relatives and other people around them who are struggling financially.”
According to him, PENGASSAN would continue to focus on protecting members’ jobs, wages and welfare, but could not remain indifferent to the broader economic hardship affecting the population.
Osifo said poverty reduction should be treated as a shared responsibility among the Federal, state and local governments.
He argued that governments at all levels needed to become more sensitive to the difficulties confronting citizens, adding that a meaningful response to insecurity must include measures that improve people’s economic wellbeing.
On the purpose of the gathering, the PENGASSAN leader said the association wanted to recognise the contributions of its former officers and preserve the memory of their sacrifices.
He noted that many of the former leaders remained involved in the association’s affairs by offering guidance and drawing attention to areas that required improvement.
Osifo said the awards presented to the former officials were modest expressions of gratitude for the role they played in building PENGASSAN and laying a foundation for future administrations.
