The Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria has called on members to discern new ways of engaging with management and government in the post-COVID-19 era.
The association’s General Secretary, Lumumba Okugbawa made the call on Monday in Lagos in commemoration of the Africa Industrialisation Day marked annually on November 20.
Okugbawa called on members to rise to the occasion by ensuring that they offered sound policy alternatives to management and government to ensure that the organised labour was not left behind.
According to him, the policy will not only improve the revenue base but will also create more jobs for the teeming youths.
“The new thinking and approach shall see us invest in research and development where our members shall be exposed to modern trend in all spheres of business in this post-COVID era.
“Our activism going forward as part of the new thinking and approach shall focus on the bigger picture devoid of self-interest.
“Rather, it will ensure constructive engagements with all relevant stakeholders geared toward issues like diversification of the economy.
“Also, to attract more stream of income to counter the dwindling revenue, improved productivity through process improvement and above all, job creation and protection through self-development and new skills acquisition, ” he said.
Okugbawa called on the association to collaborate with other unions in various sectors to tackle most of the challenges confronting the trade unions and employees.
He said that there was need to focus more on information and research, collaboration and engagement.
“Also, training and development, stakeholders management, job security for members centred around skill acquisition and improvement and overall well-being of the members and staff.
“We must be open to constructive criticisms and ensure that we are open to different perspectives on any topical matter to allow for best approach and decision.
“It is incumbent on us to strive to take trade unionism to a higher level in terms of service delivery, competent and motivated members, while we continue to give support and solidarity toward the much-needed concerted efforts as we deal with all these challenges,” Okugbawa said.
