By Samuel Itsede
The Honourable Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Hon. Barr. Nkeiruka Onyejeocha, has emphasized the need for collective action to address the challenges facing Nigeria’s petroleum industry.
Speaking at the 3rd Edition of the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) Energy and Labour Summit (PEALS 2024) in Abuja, the Minister highlighted the importance of social dialogue and continuous engagement among stakeholders to ensure improved productivity and overall development.
Onyejeocha commended PENGASSAN for its initiative in organizing the annual summit, which provides a platform for experts to interact and assess the progress made in the industry. She noted that the event’s theme, focusing on energy mix, security, divestment, and crude oil theft, is timely and historic, given the current state of the petroleum industry.
The Minister urged participants to deliberate on innovative strategies, including the application of artificial intelligence (AI) for the oil industry, and to explore ways to harness opportunities in the nation’s hydrocarbon future for indigenous oil companies.
She expressed optimism that the summit’s outcome would make a significant impact on the industry.
Further, the Minister brought greetings from President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and reiterated the administration’s commitment to social dialogue and continuous engagement to achieve a peaceful and harmonious industrial relations atmosphere.
The three-day summit, which began on Tuesday, August 20, 2024, at the Congress Hall of Transcorp Hilton, Maitama, Abuja, has brought together stakeholders from the petroleum industry, government representatives, investors, labour leaders, and academics to discuss the future of Nigeria’s oil and gas industry.
