PENGASSAN Urges Employers To Prioritise Dialogue, Worker Training For Industrial Stability

The Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) has called on employers in the oil and gas industry to embrace constructive dialogue, evidence-based negotiations and sustained investment in workers’ training as key measures for promoting industrial harmony and improving productivity.

The president of PENGASSAN and the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC), Comrade Engr. Festus Osifo, made the call at the 5th PENGASSAN Energy and Labour Summit (PELS) 2026 in Abuja.

Osifo said many labour disputes and prolonged negotiations could be avoided if management and workers approached collective bargaining with open minds and were willing to objectively consider relevant economic data before taking decisions.

He explained that PENGASSAN had increasingly adopted a data-driven approach to negotiations, with the union ensuring that its demands were based on economic realities and what it considered reasonable, sustainable and justifiable.

According to him, while the majority of employers had demonstrated understanding and willingness to reach amicable agreements with workers, a few companies continued to disregard available data and reasonable proposals, thereby creating unnecessary tension and avoidable industrial disputes.

Osifo noted that experience had shown that in several instances where negotiations eventually broke down and resulted in industrial action, employers ultimately made concessions that were higher than the initial demands presented by the union.

He questioned the rationale behind allowing negotiations to collapse and tensions to escalate when both parties could resolve their differences through early engagement, mutual understanding and reasonable concessions.

“Both sides should remain open, listen to reason and review the data before taking decisions. If we do that, we can avoid unnecessary agitation and create a more stable industrial environment,” he said.

The PENGASSAN president also expressed concern over inadequate investment in employee training by some indigenous oil and gas companies, describing training as a critical investment in human capital rather than an avoidable operational expense.

He observed that while several international oil companies and government-owned entities continued to invest substantially in local and international training programmes, some indigenous operators were still lagging behind in staff development.

According to him, some companies approve training budgets at the beginning of the year but later cancel, defer or drastically reduce the programmes whenever they seek to cut operational costs.

Osifo warned that such practices could undermine workers’ professional competence, productivity and safety, particularly in the oil and gas industry, where employees operate in highly technical and hazardous environments.

He stressed that workers required continuous training and retraining to acquire the knowledge, skills and competencies necessary to perform their duties efficiently and safely.

The PENGASSAN leader said increased investment in staff development would not only improve workers’ capacity but also help reduce workplace accidents, strengthen professional competence and enhance productivity across the industry.

He, therefore, urged employers, particularly indigenous oil and gas companies, to prioritise human capital development by ensuring that approved training programmes were properly funded and fully implemented.

“Training is not just another cost; it is a necessary cost. When you train your employees, you give them the tools and knowledge required to discharge their responsibilities safely and effectively,” Osifo stated.

He further emphasised that the ultimate objective of responsible employment practices should be to create an industrial environment where workers are adequately equipped to perform their responsibilities while ensuring that they return safely to their families at the end of each working day.