Assen is calling for a strong lobbying organisation to ensure compensation for jobs that will be lost due to decreased gas extraction operations.
RTV Drenthe reports that calls for establishing the lobbying group were included in a draft version of a coalition agreement among ChristenUnie, City Party PLOP, VVD and GroenLinks. “We want to create a northern-based lobby to focus on getting compensation, either financial or in terms of new jobs”, according the plans.
The Assen coalition members say that reducing gas extraction operations in the region will impact hundreds of jobs at NAM’s headquarters in the city. The lobby’s focus should be on new jobs that can contribute to the energy transition.
A similar lobby was established in the ‘90s in order to improve employment opportunities in the region which ultimately led to the creation of thousands of jobs.
The coalition’s plans also included focusing on tourism and recreation-related jobs in the province, such as the TT Circuit, and revamping Assen’s city centre to make it more environmentally and visitor-friendly. The draft plans should be formalised by 14 May, and the new governing coalition will be sworn in on 17 May.
Photo source: Wikipedia