The Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) has warned that the fight against insecurity in the country will remain difficult unless governments at all levels urgently address rising poverty and improve the living conditions of Nigerians.
PENGASSAN President, Comrade Festus Osifo, made the call during a presidential dinner organised to honour past leaders of the association for their contributions to its growth and development since its establishment in 1978. The event was attended by former presidents, deputy presidents, general secretaries, zonal chairmen, zonal secretaries and other national officers of the union.
Osifo stated that the economic hardship confronting Nigerians has consequences far beyond the workplace. He noted that even workers earning relatively good salaries are increasingly burdened by the need to support unemployed relatives, neighbours and community members struggling financially.
“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,” he said.
While reaffirming that PENGASSAN’s primary responsibility remains the protection of its members’ jobs, remuneration and welfare, the labour leader stressed that the association cannot remain indifferent to the wider economic challenges facing the country.
He emphasised that tackling poverty is a collective responsibility involving the Federal Government, state governments and local governments. Osifo expressed particular concern over the state of local government administration, describing it as the tier of government closest to the people and one that should provide citizens with a platform to demand accountability for basic community needs.
He lamented, however, that many local governments have become largely ineffective, leaving citizens without an effective grassroots mechanism to seek solutions to everyday problems. This weakness, he argued, has contributed to the persistence of poverty and other social challenges.
Osifo warned that government would find it difficult to significantly reduce insecurity as long as widespread poverty persists. He urged governments across the country to demonstrate political will, work together and implement practical measures capable of reducing poverty and improving living standards.
Addressing economic hardship, he added, must form an important part of any broader strategy to tackle insecurity, noting that citizens with access to decent livelihoods and basic necessities are less vulnerable to the social pressures that fuel insecurity.
On the purpose of the dinner, Osifo said it was organised to ensure that the sacrifices and contributions of past leaders of PENGASSAN are not forgotten. He described the awards presented as tokens of appreciation for their role in building the foundation upon which successive administrations have continued to build.