Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) has urged Abia State Governor, Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu, to create a new town within the state oil producing areas to boost empowerment of the people.

The union said the town should be comparable to Aba and Umuahia, the state capital, in terms of infrastructure and amenities that would encourage oil and gas workers to live and operate from there.

PENGASSAN also urged that wastes generated in the state should be converted to wealth, give priority to infrastructure development and reconstruction, pay regular wages to workers and improve sanitation.

The National President of PENGASSAN, Michael Ohaeri stated this when he led the association’s Central Working Committee and National Executive Council members on a courtesy visit to the governor at Umuahia.

Ohaeri commended the level of security in the state, the Enyimba Economic City project, support given to Aba/state made products whose demands have been on the increase nationally and internationally.

He assured the governor that PENGASSAN would support the state in any area the state needs its support.

Ikpeazu, who was represented by his Deputy, Dr. Ude Chukwu, agreed with PENGASSAN on the need to develop new town within the state oil producing areas, explaining that the Enyimba Economic City is sited in the area, adding that to sustain security in the state, a Ministry of Homeland Security has been created.

He urged PENGASSAN to do the needful to ensure regular and adequate supply of petroleum products to the depot at Aba, stressing that many states depended on it for their supplies.

On the PENGASSAN request for the state assistance to build its proposed Event and E-Learning Centers which it stated was aimed a providing library for research in oil and gas activities, deputy governor pledged to bring the request to the governor’s attention.