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PENGASSAN Calls For Salary Benchmark For Oil Workers
The Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria has called for a salary benchmark for oil and gas workers in the country.
The National President of the union, Mr. Festus Osifo, made this call at the second edition of the PENGASSAN Energy and Labour Submit in Abuja, on Monday.
The three-day event was titled, ‘Petroleum Downstream Deregulation and Gas Utilisation, for a Sustainable Energy Future in Nigeria.’’
Osifo said that the call was imperative due to the recent policy direction by the Federal Government.
He said the policy by the government included the PMS subsidy removal and the floating of the naira-dollar exchange rate.
He said, “Part of the decisions of floatation has only benefited the government and the oil and gas companies in Nigeria.
“This has necessitated a call for salary benchmark for oil and gas workers, aligning with the instrument of trade of oil and gas commodity.’’
He, however, said that in Angola, legislation pegged workers’ salaries in dollars and paid them the legal tender equivalent.
Usifo said the Angola template was a testament to the possibilities of safeguarding the interests of workers amidst currency fluctuations.
He added that the floating of the naira in the official market had exacerbated the challenges faced by our workers.
“We must explore innovative solutions to restore financial losses to workers by preventing undue gains to oil companies and ensuring a fair and equitable environment for all.
“PENGASSAN will do all it can to push for this just and equitable distribution across its branches,’’ the president stated.
Osifo, while speaking on the theme, said it was carefully chosen due to the multifaceted challenges and opportunities inherent in the energy sector.
“Over the next three days, we will engage in enlightening discussions, share insights, and formulate strategies to address critical issues such as divestment, PMS subsidy removal and the place/role of the ever-ready Nigeria workers in the oil and gas industry and it commitment value chain.
“We are witnessing a significant shift in our landscape of the energy in the country, marked by the divestment action of companies such as Mobile Producing Nigeria, Nigeria Agip Company, SPDC, and others,’’ he said.
On his part, Group Managing Director, Nigerian National Corporation Limited, Mr. Mele Kyari, said that despite challenges, the country was already witnessing some positive outcomes of the subsidy removal.
Kyari said that most construction companies had started moving back to sites as more resources became available to execute projects.
According to him, by 2024, Nigeria will become a net exporter of refined petroleum products based on ongoing policy interventions by the present administration.
Kyari stated, “The meaning of this is that we will have sufficient volumes in-country,
“When we refine locally, we do have advantages.
“That is by creating wealth, creating taxes, and all forms of value chain, creating employment, and so on and so forth.’’
He added that what Nigeria needed was to adjust its realities as it imported 100 per cent of its production.
“No resource-dependent country does this and that is why we must deliver on our mandate,” he said.
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NDLEA Destroys Over 100,000kg Cannabis In Ekiti Forest
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has destroyed over 100,000kg of cannabis spread across 51 hectares of farm land in Ekiti State.
This is contained in a statement by the Director, Media and Advocacy NDLEA, Mr Femi Babafemi yesterday, in Abuja.
Babafemi said that NDLEA operatives supported by men of the Nigerian Army on Tuesday Sept. 3 and Wednesday Sept. 4 stormed three camps inside the Ise-Ekiti forest reserve, in Ise/Orun Local Government Area of the state.
He named the affected areas to include: Aba Saalaja with 23 hectares; Aba Paanu with 12 hectares and Aba Arogunmatidi with 16 hectares, all within Ise-Ekiti forest reserve.
He also said two suspects: were arrested on the Toro-Jos road, Kaduna with 305kg cannabis (Indian hemp) concealed in false compartment of a J5 boxer bus marked YLA 682 XM.
Babafemi said that another suspect was arrested in possession of 18 kilograms of same substance at Makarfi town.
“Two other suspects others: were arrested on the Zaria- Kaduna highway in possession of 1300 tablets of Tramadol, all same day,”he said.
Also, in Jigawa state, a 30-year-old man was nabbed with 32.6kg of cannabis (Indian hemp) at Koran Shehu.
Babafemi said that operatives in Kogi intercepted 77,300 pills of Tramadol, Diazepam and Exol-5 with 1,230 bottles of Codeine in a commercial bus driven by Attai Okolo, 68, along Aloma – Ejule road, Ofu LGA, Kogi.
“Another was nabbed on the Okene-Lokoja-Abuja expressway with 42.400kg cannabis (Indian hemp) coming from Lagos enroute Kano.
“NDLEA operatives in Borno arrested a 40-year-old man at Ramat area of Maiduguri with 13,100 pills of Tramadol.
“Also, operatives in Kano nabbed a man with 25.8kg cannabis and 3,000 pills of Diazepam along Kano – Daura road,”he said.
The NDLEA spokesman said that no fewer than 87,790 pills of Tramadol were recovered from Musa Adamu, 30, when he was arrested in Zing, Taraba state.
Babafemi said that a raid on the home of a drug kingpin, Mayowa Abayomi Awe (a.k.a Bishop) in Ilesa, Osun state led to the seizure of 43grams of crack cocaine, 23grams of Methamphetamine, 17.126kg cannabis and a locally made pistol.
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Take Steps To Mitigate Effects Of Fuel Price Hike, NIM Urges FG
The Nigerian Institute of Management (NIM) has urged the Federal Government to take urgent steps to forestall economic hardship occasioned by the recent increase in pump price of petrol.
The President of NIM, Dr Christiana Atako, made the call in a statement by the institute’s registrar, Mrs Taiwo Olusesi in Lagos.
Atako said that it was important to mitigate the harsh effects of the latest increase in the price of fuel on both the economy and Nigerians.
She said that the long fuel queues that resurfaced in various cities had attendant consequences on Nigerians whose cost of living was shrinking by the day.
“The Institute supports the current efforts by the Federal Government to kick-start the nation’s weak economy and put it on a good footing.
“However, NIM is an organisation committed to promoting good governance and sound management practices.
“We believe that government should do everything within its power to give the nation’s economic policies a human face,” she said.
The NIM president urged the Federal Government to continue working with the greater interest of Nigerians at heart by taking more proactive measures to impact the welfare of the citizenry.
She called on government to, especially, address fuel scarcity, the hunger in the land, as well as tackle the myriad of economic issues facing the country.
“The Institute concedes that the decision to remove fuel subsidy has come with some pains,.
“It is, however, a necessary step towards the nation’s economic stability as it will help to curb the mismanagement of scarce resources
“It will also reduce corruption in the oil sector, and ensure that the benefits of government spending are felt by all Nigerians.
“Since the removal of subsidy is a difficult decision with significant impact on the masses, it is essential that the Federal Government implements measures to mitigate its effects,” she said.
Atako suggested measures like providing a safety tax net for those who would be most impacted by the subsidy removal, greater government intervention in agricultural produce, public transportation and youth employment programmes.
She also enjoined Nigerians to be patient with the Federal Government, and called for more understanding.
She said that the NIM believed that the nation would soon turn the bend and start reaping the benefits of the present sacrifices.
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