President Mohammadu Buhari has reiterated the centrality of Oil and Gas to the infrastructural and economic development of Nigeria.
The President made the affirmation while delivering his welcome address at the 6th Triennial National Delegates’ Conference of the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) on Thursday, 27th August, 2020 in Abuja. The theme of the conference is; “The Future of Work Post Pandemic and Energy Transition”.
Speaking further, the President, who was Special Guest of Honour, and represented at the occasion by the Honorable Minister of State, Petroleum Resources, Chief Timipre Sylva said Oil and Gas is the major contributor of foreign exchange earnings to the Nigerian Government, accounting for around 10% of the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP), and providing massive employment opportunities for our teeming population.
The President enthused that Nigeria has earned its pride of place in the comity of Oil and Gas nations, standing at 10th and 9th positions in global Oil and Gas reserves respectively.
The President opined that it was in acknowledgement of the significance of the Oil and Gas industry as an enabler of national growth and development, that his government carved out some Strategic Priorities for the Ministry of Petroleum Resources with a view to stimulating the sector in order to foster the sustainability of the Nigerian economy, create well paid jobs and take millions of Nigerians out of poverty.
The President hinted that; “our collaboration will focus on gas to transmute Nigeria from the conventional dependence on white products for prime movers to a cleaner, more available, accessible, acceptable and affordable energy use in gas. This will cushion the effects of deregulation and create enormous job opportunities for Nigerians”.
He added that while revamping the existing refineries, Greenfield and development of modular refineries are springing up. These activities will continue to engage members of PENGASSAN and National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG).
Buhari assured that Crude Oil will remain prominent in the global energy mix in the medium and long term, despite the quest for a diversification to a non-oil economy. This according to him, will translate to massive opportunities for members of PENGASSAN.
He congratulated the leadership and entire members of PENGASSAN, and wished them a successful deliberation.
In his address the President of PENGASSAN, Comrade Ndukaku Ohaeri said PENGASSAN encourages the National Assembly to resolve the challenges that have characterized the non – passage of the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) in the past, noting that the non – passage of the PIB has denied Nigeria lots of benefits that could have accrued to it from the hydrocarbon Industry. He also emphasized the need for the Federal Government to bring back the nation’s refineries and create the enabling environment for investment in the refining business sector to thrive.
In his address, the Group Managing Director (GMD) of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Mallam Mele Kolo Kyari posited that, Trade Unionism has shifted from activism to collaboration. He noted that the perspectives of the Oil and Gas Industry had changed and that unions should be more interested in the survival of organizations especially in the COVID-19 era.
Enefaa Bob-Manuel
Deputy Director (Information)
Ministry of Petroleum Resources
