All Posts in "PENGASSAN"

FG Unwilling To Stop Illegal Refineries -PENGASSAN

The Petroleum and Natural GAS Senior Staff Association Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) has said that the Federal Government is not exhibiting seriousness to stop illegal refineries in the country.

President of PENGASSAN, Comrade Festus Osifo ,spoke at a press conference on Tuesday against the back drop of the accident at an illegal crude oil refining site in Abaezi forest in Ohaji-Egbema Local Government Area of Imo State which claimed several lives.

He told reporters that government was aware of the location of the illegal refineries in the country but chose to turn blind eyes on the spread of the facilities which had continued to endanger the lives of Nigerians.

He blamed the Imo illegal refinery accident on the failure of the government to take charge of its duties.

He added:”This is a government failure and they cannot say they don’t know where the illegal refineries are situated in the country.The government has power to stop illegal refineries if it desires to do so”

He also spoke on the worsening insecurity in the country and suggested the need to decentralize the Nigerian Police Force with a view to ensuring effective policing in Nigeria .

He added that there was need to recruit more hands into the police in order to improve security in the country.

On the 2023 general election, Osifo advised the government to put in place adequate security in order to discourage voters’ apathy

admin by — April 26, 2022 in Labour/Human Resources 0
Oil Theft, Vandalism May Collapse  Nigeria’s Economy – PENGASSAN

Unless urgent steps were taken to stop oil theft and vandalism,  the national economy which depends largely on petrol-dollars, risked impending collapse,the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN),has said.
Nigeria loses 90 to 99 percent of crude pumped into its Trans-National Pipeline (TNP) to vandalism and theft in the Niger Delta region,Festus Osifoo,president of the oil union told reporters in Lagos
The issues of crude oil theft have in recent times been exacerbated, making Nigeria to lose out from the gains of the current oil rally in the international market,he quoted a paper titled ,’state of the nation’
According to him,Nigeria  produces an average of 1.2 to 1.3million barrels of crude oil daily from a capacity of about 2 million barrels of crude oil per day.
He said between October 2021 and February 2022, between 90 and 99 percent of crude oil pumped into the Trans National Pipeline (TNP) by operators  was vandalised.
He said reconciliation/fiscalisation at Bonny terminal shows that between 5 and 10 percent of crude oil metered from the operators gets to the terminals.
He explained:“Another problem arising from vandalism is that companies are forced to go into curtailment when these assets/export pipelines are damaged as they cannot export what they produce, thereby incurring production losses”
He  disclosed that an operator loses an average of 10 days of production shut-in every month due to vandalism, adding that recent preliminary work showed that about 150 illegal tappings were used in siphoning crude oil from the TNP.
He said beyond  reduction in revenue to the operating companies and the national economy, this act of sabotage has caused serious environmental degradation to the host communities and region.
He added:“As a matter of urgent national importance, we hereby call on the Federal Government to work with stakeholders in the oil and gas industry as well as the national security architecture to find a lasting solution to this menace that is almost bringing the oil and gas industry to its knees.
“It is our expectation that the integrity of the pipelines will be sound enough to enable safe transportation of crude and products all over the country, while the government establishes a special force committed to strict enforcement of pipeline right of way”.
admin by — March 30, 2022 in Oil&Gas 0
Most Indigenous Coys Lack Capacity To Develop IOCs Divested Assets-PENGASSAN

The Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) has lamented the failure of most indigenous companies to manage the divested assets they acquired from International Oil Companies in the country.
The union conveyed the development in a statement  signed by its President,Comrade Festus Osifo and General Secretary Comrade Lumumba .I. Okugbawa.
Bemoaning the spate of the divestment,the union  said that the trend which started in 2012 has spread quickly within the industry and has somewhat reduced the fortunes of developments within the oil and gas fields.
It said:“While we are not averse to indigenous participation in the Nigerian Oil and Gas industry, we will not fold our arms and allow mediocre to take hold of our national assets and ruin the fortunes of future generations for immediate gains.
 “It is on record that since IOCs started divestment in 2012, most of the companies that purchased such assets do not have and cannot attract the requisite finances for capital expenditures in such fields nor have made reasonable efforts to provide the required human and technical developments of Nigerians within their establishment.
“Most of these companies practically draw from the existing wells until it is dried up. They do not substantially if at all invest in work over operations or drilling of new wells. A country whose major source of foreign exchange earnings is Oil and Gas cannot afford to allow this depletion to continue and this charge PENGASSAN has decided to lead”.
It added  that most of these companies do not only refuse the unionization of workers but also subject their employees to sub-optimal conditions.
It said the development is reprehensible and against all known laws and conventions.
The union vowed  that it will henceforth not cooperate with any company whether indigenous or foreign that does not have the capacity to develop the oil and gas fields or have a track record of subjecting employees to modern-day slavery.
“The Minister of Petroleum must be worried of portfolio and briefcase investors in the Oil and Gas sector whose sole aim is to milk the field dry, as this will prevent a similar fate that befell the power sector. NNPC limited must be strengthened to become a major player in the upstream environment to spur and attract investment to Nigeria
“Concerted efforts should be made to persuade and further incentivize the IOCs to remain in the country in order to benefit from the newly passed PIA. However, should they decide to exit after all efforts fail, a good investor that has relevant technical experience, good financial standing, and reputation for managing employees must be sort after”, PENGASSAN added.
It said in such divestments, the jobs of Nigerians working in such locations, their exit/welfare package, and the ability of the investors to continuously develop such field which will, in turn, provide jobs for Nigerians working in the oil and gas service sector will be of utmost priority.
He advised the Federal Government to make concerted efforts and persuade and further incentivize the IOCs to remain in the country in order to benefit from the newly passed Petroleum Industry Act
Main Admin by — March 19, 2022 in Oil&Gas 0
Some Indigenous Coys Lack Capacity To Develop IOCs Divested Assets-PENGASSAN   

The Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) has lamented the failure of most indigenous companies to manage the divested assets they acquired from International Oil Companies in the country.
The union conveyed the development in a statement  signed by its President,Comrade Festus Osifo and General Secretary Comrade Lumumba .I. Okugbawa.
Bemoaning the spate of the divestment,the union  said that the trend which started in 2012 has spread quickly within the industry and has somewhat reduced the fortunes of developments within the oil and gas fields.
It said:“While we are not averse to indigenous participation in the Nigerian Oil and Gas industry, we will not fold our arms and allow mediocre to take hold of our national assets and ruin the fortunes of future generations for immediate gains.
It said: “It is on record that since IOCs started divestment in 2012, most of the companies that purchased such assets do not have and cannot attract the requisite finances for capital expenditures in such fields nor have made reasonable efforts to provide the required human and technical developments of Nigerians within their establishment.
“Most of these companies practically draw from the existing wells until it is dried up. They do not substantially if at all invest in work over operations or drilling of new wells. A country whose major source of foreign exchange earnings is Oil and Gas cannot afford to allow this depletion to continue and this charge PENGASSAN has decided to lead”.
It added  that most of these companies do not only refuse the unionization of workers but also subject their employees to sub-optimal conditions.
It said the development is reprehensible and against all known laws and conventions.
The union vowed  that it will henceforth not cooperate with any company whether indigenous or foreign that does not have the capacity to develop the oil and gas fields or have a track record of subjecting employees to modern-day slavery.
“The Minister of Petroleum must be worried of portfolio and briefcase investors in the Oil and Gas sector whose sole aim is to milk the field dry, as this will prevent a similar fate that befell the power sector. NNPC limited must be strengthened to become a major player in the upstream environment to spur and attract investment to Nigeria
“Concerted efforts should be made to persuade and further incentivize the IOCs to remain in the country in order to benefit from the newly passed PIA. However, should they decide to exit after all efforts fail, a good investor that has relevant technical experience, good financial standing, and reputation for managing employees must be sort after”, PENGSSAN added.
It said in such divestments, the jobs of Nigerians working in such locations, their exit/welfare package, and the ability of the investors to continuously develop such field which will, in turn, provide jobs for Nigerians working in the oil and gas service sector will be of utmost priority.
He advised the Federal Government to make concerted efforts and persuade and further incentivize the IOCs to remain in the country in order to benefit from the newly passed Petroleum Industry Act
Main Admin by — March 17, 2022 in Oil&Gas 0