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‘Oil workers satisfied with efforts to fix Port Harcourt refinery ‘

Oil workers, acting under the aegis of Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) have expressed satisfaction with the Federal Government's efforts to fix the Port Harcourt refinery.

It also urged the government to keep to its promise to ensure that the refinery would start working by December this year.

The Port Harcourt Zonal Secretary of PENGASSAN, Comrade Nnana Okeke disclosed this in Uyo on the sidelines of a foru-day retreat organised for the executive leaders of the zone by Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) in conjunction with Facilitation and Training Services Limited.

Okeke said the refinery and other local refineries when functional will crash the pump price of fuel and alleviate the sufferings currently faced by Nigerians.

Should the Port Harcourt refinery fail to work by December, Okeke said: "We will go back and restrategize. Our leadership at the national level told us that he Federal Government said it will deliver on its promise, do for now let's give them(FG) the benefit of the doubt."

He said PENGASSAN was in support of the removal of fuel subsidy and the efforts of the President Bola Tinubu administration to provide palliatives to cushion the effects of the removal.

He said: "As an association, we are not against fuel subsidy removal. But we requested that if it must be removed there are certain measures that need to be put in place to mitigate the effects of fuel subsidy removal on the citizens.

"We requested that Palliative measures should be provided, that the transportation system must be improved because workers have to go to work. Another thing we requested is let's make our refineries work.

"By doing so, we will reduce our dependence on importation of the petroleum products.

And the Federal Government has assured us that by December that the PortHarcourt Refinery will start working.

"So, we believe that when we start refining locally definitely that will reduce the price of fuel. Those were among the things we put forward; actually we sysmpathize with the masses because this is something that is affecting everybody."

On speculation in some quarters that the price of fuel pump would be increased further, he said: "Federal Government has told us officially that they are not going to increase the fuel pump price beyond what it is currently, that's what they've told us."

Also in his remarks, the Chief Executive Officer for Facilitation and Training Services Limited, Mr Olumide Ajomale, said the NCDMB has deemed it fit to provide a platform for the zonal Executives of PENGASSAN to go through this programme to specifically to enrich and strengthen their leadership skills.

He said: "It is an opportunity for the officers to come together and learn about contemporary issues in leadership, on how to improve communication skills. We are also going to delve into areas around Employment laws, industrial relations in the oil and gas industry.

"So this is a platform to deepen skills and ensure that the leave here better. Considering that these are union leaders, in the oil and gas sector, when you have people who are better informed, with the relevant skills they can manage things more effectively.

"And when we talk about managing things more effectively, they can get better results. So the retreat is useful for them in their various organizations, how to manage the resources available. And because the world is changing continuous learning is required for our survival."