FG pledges prompt attention to PIGB

The Federal Government has pledged to give prompt attention to the Petroleum Industry Governance Bill (PIGB) when passed by the National Assembly.

President Muhammadu Buhari gave the assurance Thursday in Abuja on the occasion of the 40th Anniversary of the National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG).

Represented by the Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige, Buhari said the PIGB would improve industrial harmony in the Oil and Gas sector, and pledged government’s unwavering commitment to increased collaboration with organized labour for the progress of the nation.

He acknowledged NUPENG as a partner in progress, stressing that “certain revolutionary steps have been taken in the oil industry which will aid the peaceful co-existence of employers and employees in the sector.”

Ngige noted that employers and employees have a symbiotic relationship, as their mutual survival depended on a harmonious partnership between them.

Earlier, National President of NUPENG, Comrade Williams Akporeha, said that the union remained committed to its battle against casualization and other indecent employment conditions in the Oil and Gas industry.

“We will embark on massive public image polishing and mending relationship with all aggrieved stakeholders to ensure prosperity and good returns for everyone in the industry, but without compromising on the best interest of our members and global labour best practices,” he said.