The President of the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria, (PENGASSAN), Mr. Festus Osifo, has called for an end to gas flaring and unsafe working conditions in the oil and gas industry, warning that environmental degradation and loss of lives cannot continue to be the price of energy production.
Addressing the 4th edition of the Petroleum and Energy Leadership Summit in Abuja on Wednesday, Osifo said that the union would no longer tolerate companies that cut corners at the expense of workers’ safety.
“Gas flaring must end. Polluted sites must be restored. Accountability must be enforced for today and for generations to come,” Osifo declared, stressing that protecting workers and the environment must remain a top industry priority.
The PENGASSAN president lamented that despite years of advocacy, some oil platforms remain unsafe, leading to avoidable tragedies.
He recalled the October 24, 2024, helicopter crash around Bonny, which killed three PENGASSAN members.
“Last year, a tragic event occurred that led to the death of three of our members and others in a helicopter crash around Bonny as they travelled to work. As we await the final report on that incident, we will continue to examine the safety of helicopter operations in the oil sector. Every life matters, and no life should be lost to negligence,” he said.
Osifo also stressed that environmental, social and governance principles were now critical to industry survival, warning operators that sustainability was no longer optional.
“ESG is no longer a tick-box exercise but a lifeline to ethical progress. Climate change and environmental degradation demand urgent action. Financial institutions now expect oil and gas companies to prove their ESG commitment with clear reporting alongside financial statements,” he added.
The summit, themed ‘Building a Resilient Oil and Gas Sector in Nigeria: Advancing HSE, ESG, Investment and Incremental Production’, is expected to examine safety, sustainability, policy, and welfare issues confronting the oil industry.
On investment and production, he acknowledged recent reforms, including presidential executive orders on contracting cycles, non-associated gas development, and tax incentives.
However, he cautioned against incessant amendments to the Petroleum Industry Act.
“Amendments to laws are inevitable, but they must not be done haphazardly and intermittently, even before the stakeholders the laws are intended to serve fully understand them. Investors need certainty for medium- to long-term planning. Policy somersaults and frequent legal changes are a disincentive to investment,” Osifo warned.
In his remarks, the Group CEO of Nigerian National Petroleum Company Ltd (NNPCL), Mr. Bayo Ojulari, lauded PENGASSAN’s leadership and described PEALS as a strategic platform aligning labour, industry, and government to shape Nigeria’s energy future.
He reaffirmed NNPC’s focus on innovation, collaboration, and safety, noting that partnerships with unions and regulators were essential to building a globally competitive oil and gas sector.
GIK/APA