Oil workers, under the aegis of Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff (PENGASSAN), have expressed concern on the far-reaching implications of the decision of the United States (US) to blacklist Nigeria as a terrorist country.
The workers explained that the current situation will jeopardise the relationship that existed between the two countries, especially as Nigeria is strategic to the US in all fronts - politically, economically, socially and culturally.
As a major stakeholder in the oil and gas industry, the workers said that they are mindful of the signals that the US is sending as well as its consequencies.
President of the Association, Comrade Babatunde Ogun, in a statement made available to THISDAY said: “We are, therefore, within the context of the multi diversity of our trans- and multi-national environment making a very strong appeal that the US should earnestly review this wrong stigmatisation of serious prejudice on other Nigerians.
President of the Association, Comrade Babatunde Ogun, in a statement made available to THISDAY said: “We are, therefore, within the context of the multi diversity of our trans- and multi-national environment making a very strong appeal that the US should earnestly review this wrong stigmatisation of serious prejudice on other Nigerians.
He said that should the US fail to reappraise the stigma, it may slow down a lot of prospective, planned and sealed considerations of mutual benefits, appreciation, respects, preference, including other major issues of common interest, among others.
“PENGASSAN as a major stakeholder and partner to the US government, businesses and labour institutions cannot afford the backlash of any stand taken by both the US and Nigeria on this juvenile delinquency case.
“It is our hope that this singular case will be treated in isolation, considering the admission by US President Barrack Obama on the inaction and nonchalant attitude of the US security agencies to the alerts and signals even from the father of erring lad.
“It is our hope that this singular case will be treated in isolation, considering the admission by US President Barrack Obama on the inaction and nonchalant attitude of the US security agencies to the alerts and signals even from the father of erring lad.
The General Secretary of PENGASSAN, Comrade Bayo Olowosile, called on multinational private sector companies, who have business operations in Nigeria to prevail on the US government to remove Nigeria from the terror list.
He said, “We are pleading with our US friends and associates to bring deeper sense of reasons and judgment to bear on the smear from this failed parenting lad to our collective wider vision.
“PENGASSAN is a responsible and disciplinary trade union in the vanguard of labour and civil rights whose leaders have persistently exhibited traits of great icon and ambassador of Nigeria during her various visits to and exchanges with the US that is indeed reflecting positively wider mutual benefits in the last six years.
The two union leaders said that the US should continue to pride itself in the grace of being the mentor of Nigeria’s democracy and should not be weary of her well doing in mentoring Nigeria out of its present political, economic, and socio cultural tutelage at this vulnerable stage of the nation.
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