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Why Tinubu’s Governmnent Must Address Employment Crisis — PENGASSAN

ONE of the major challenges confronting the country is employment crisis. It has been of serious concern to Organised Labour hence it was a topical issue at the 7th Triennial National Delegates’ Conference, NDC, of Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria, PENGASSAN, that took place in Abuja, the FCT.

Hike in petroleum products: PENGASSAN calls for license revocation of  marketers selling above approved price

For leadership of PENGASSAN headed by Festus Osifo, the incoming government should prioritse employment crisis among others, including economy.

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According to him: “The current state of our economy is of great concern to us as we had hoped to see steady growth in our GDP, increased access to employment for our teeming population and diversification of the economy but unfortunately, we are yet to achieve this.

“Poor implementation of both fiscal and monetary policies; policy inconsistencies have continued to militate against our projected growth and development as a nation. Our current debt profile as at the first quarter of 2023 is mind-blowing and may take several generations to repay.

“The nation’s economy is confronted with many serious challenges like structural imbalance, corruption, weak human capital development, inequality, security challenges and excessive dependence on oil for revenue.

“High youth unemployment, which was recently highlighted by the International Labour Organisation, ILO, underemployment and poor infrastructure facilities are some of the key challenges this new government should tackle with sound and coordinated strategy in consultation with relevant stakeholders and industry experts.

“Furthermore, we have talked a lot about diversification of the economy and this is the time for its implementation as a matter of urgency. The hard truth is that revenue from the Oil and Gas sector can no longer sustain us as a nation and this is the most auspicious time to walk our talk.

“We commend the ongoing efforts of government in agriculture, same in other areas like Solid Minerals, Tourism, Technology and other sectors and expect the tempo to be sustained in the entire value chain and be replicated.

“Efforts must be made by the incoming administration to address the issues of multiple exchange rate as the arbitrage created is negatively affecting our economy.

“We must put a stop to the use of ways and means in financing activities of government as this fuels inflation because it is not backed by value creation.

“We salute the efforts being made in the completion of various gas-related projects like the 614-kilometer-long pipeline from Ajaokuta to Kano popularly called AKK pipeline, Escravos Gas to Liquids Project in Lagos and OB3 Gas Transmission Pipeline from Delta to Edo State.

“When completed, these projects will not only provide employment opportunities but will also help in gas gathering and evacuation across the country for domestic utilisation.”

Job security, members’ welfare

Osifo who is also the President of the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria, TUC, made it clear that from now onwards, the job security and welfare of PENGASSAN members and staff would be the association’s priority.

He said: “At PENGASSAN, we believe that it is imperative to continue to work as a team to tackle most of the industry and labour relations challenges confronting us as an association and citizens of this great nation.

“Hence, the need for the incoming executives to focus more on information, research, collaboration, engagement, training and development, stakeholder’s management, job security for members and overall wellbeing of the members and staff.”

Africa holds world’s future talent pool — HR expert

“WITH its diverse cultures and people, has much to offer the world of work. In addition, the agility, resilience and creativity of Africans, as well as their appetite to contribute to the global economy, make them the perfect choice for businesses looking to grow and expand their services on the continent and further afield.”

This was the view of human resources experts at the recent panel discussion of Mondel–z International (parent company of Cadbury Nigeria Plc), and Top Employers’ Institute.

Both Mondel–z South Africa and Cadbury Nigeria are certified as Top Employers in Africa.

Speaking at the event, Human Resources Director of Vodacom South Africa, Njabulo Mashigo, said Africa’s demographic dividend and diversity is key to developing a global talent pool for the future.

“Africa’s demographic dividend places it at an advantage. With a massive pool of diverse and talented young people, businesses are spoilt for choice when it comes to selecting and developing the leaders of tomorrow.

“Corporate, governments and educational institutions need to work collaboratively to develop the skills needed to take the continent forward.”

Corroborating, Head of Human Resources at Accenture, Africa, Keshnie Martin, noted that “Young talent in Africa exists. It just needs opportunities and investment to flourish.”

Similarly, People Lead, Sub-Saharan Africa at Mondel–z International, Cebile Xulu, said: “Not only is the continent developing pockets of technological excellence and innovation, but its agricultural capital has the potential to help address food insecurity worldwide,”

Panelists suggested a “best of both worlds” approach, with the emphasis on sharing, not competing.

They interrogated how to approach skills transfer in a mutually beneficial way by exporting African talent to the rest of the world, but also learning from other more developed markets to nurture local talent that is retained on the continent. This can be through the many multinationals that establish offices in Africa.

“While they might bring global talent to the continent when they start out, it is important that they ensure skills transfer to local talent within a stipulated time frame and put succession plans for local talent in place for a more sustainable approach,” suggested Martin.

Panelists also touched on ways of accommodating the younger generation in the workplace, suggesting that leadership structures be more agile and consider their preference for hybrid work, “gig” or project work, and side hustles.

Xulu emphasised that “Young people want to be acknowledged and heard. Their career trajectories are made up of shorter tenures than traditional roles. They also want to make meaningful contributions to their workplaces.

“As such, leaders need to embrace their differences and adjust their leadership styles to make the most of this young workforces’ desire to do good.”

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