The Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) has elected new national executive officers to steer the affairs of the association for the next three years.
The election was held on Saturday during the association’s Delegates’ Conference, following the expiration of the tenure of the former executive led by immediate past President Comrade Festus Osifo.
Comrade Bosun Olabiyi-Agoro emerged as the new President of PENGASSAN unopposed, while most of the other executive positions were also filled unopposed, except that of National Auditor I.
In his acceptance speech, Agoro described his election as a privilege and a sacred mandate, pledging to protect members’ jobs amid what he described as “divestments, automation, restructuring and uncertainties arising from the energy transition”.
“With deep humility and immense gratitude, I stand before you today to accept the sacred mandate you have just given me as the President of the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria, PENGASSAN.
“I give glory to God for the journey so far. On behalf of the newly elected leaders of our great association, I would like to say a big thank you to the outgoing leaders, both at the national and zonal levels.
“We thank you for your service in the past years and for your support to our God-sent double president, Comrade Festus Osifo, while he was in office. We thank you all and pray that God, in His mercy, will continue to be with you and your families,” Agoro said.
The new president said protecting members’ jobs in the era of artificial intelligence would be a priority for his administration.
He said the association would negotiate just transition agreements, retraining and redeployment opportunities, while ensuring that the safety, welfare and dignity of its members remained non-negotiable.
Agoro also pledged to strengthen collective bargaining and industrial relations, saying the association would treat management as partners where fairness prevailed, while resisting injustice through lawful means.
“Agreements signed must be agreements kept. Where there is fairness, we will collaborate; where there is injustice, we will resist peacefully, lawfully and powerfully,” he said.
The new president further promised increased investment in digital skills, leadership training and mentorship, as well as greater participation of women and young professionals in decision-making.
He identified contract staffing and casualisation as growing challenges in the oil and gas sector, warning employers against using such arrangements to exploit or marginalise workers.
“A job someone has been doing for two, five, 10 or even 20 years cannot be categorised as temporary.
“The era of exploiting workers through contract staffing is over,” Agoro said.
The new PENGASSAN president is a petroleum engineer and currently works with the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC).
He holds a Master of Science degree in Petroleum Engineering from the University of Aberdeen, United Kingdom; a Postgraduate Certificate in Computing from London Metropolitan University, United Kingdom; and a Bachelor of Technology degree in Chemical Engineering from Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Ogbomoso.
He is also an alumnus of Government College, Ibadan.
Until his election as PENGASSAN President, Agoro was Chairman of the Trade Union Congress (TUC), Oyo State Council.
Other elected national officers include George Nwoko, Deputy President; Dominic Abang, National Industrial Relations Officer; and Amaoge Chukwudi, National Treasurer.
Others are Tijani Oyabure, National Financial Secretary; Lavin Aghaunor, National Publicity Relations Officer; Ada Mbanaso, National Chairperson, PENGASSAN Women Commission (PWC); and Chidinma Anyanwu, National Secretary, PWC.
Rex Orji and Muhammad Ismail emerged as National Auditor I and National Auditor II, respectively.
Although Festus Osifo has completed his two-term tenure as PENGASSAN President, he will continue to serve as President-General of the Trade Union Congress (TUC) for the next three years.
