Dangote refinery has accused the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) of attempting to sabotage the country’s energy supply chain following a directive issued by the union to cut off crude oil and gas supplies to the refinery.
The Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) on Saturday directed its members to cut gas supply to the Dangote refinery.
Dangote refinery warned that the move could plunge Nigeria back into widespread fuel scarcity and disrupt the availability of key petroleum products, including petrol, aviation fuel, kerosene, diesel, and cooking gas.
The refinery also argued that the union directive threatens revenues accruing to federal and state governments.
A statement from the company further described the refinery as a strategic national asset that ought to be protected, not targeted.
The refinery drew the attention of the Federal Government, its security and law enforcement agencies, as well as other levels of government in Nigeria, to PENGASSAN’s conduct.
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Dangote refinery urged the Federal Government and its agencies in particular to call the association to order.
The statement further criticised the union for what it called “a contradictory stance,” noting that while PENGASSAN had earlier pledged to pursue legal action against the refinery, it “abandoned the path of lawfulness and embraced mob action”.
On Friday, PENGASSAN said the refinery laid off over 800 workers, noting that the group was working to “resolve” the issue.
Subsequently, the Dangote refinery confirmed sacking some workers, saying that “only a small number were affected” in what it described as a reorganisation exercise.
Following the announcement, PENGASSAN urged the management of the refinery “to recall all terminated Nigerian workers”.
Following the announcement, PENGASSAN urged the management of the refinery “to recall all terminated Nigerian workers”.
In a statement on Friday, Lumumba Okugbawa, general secretary of PENGASSAN, accused the refinery of disengaging its members in reaction to the exercise of their constitutional right to be unionised.
“They have gone further on a mission of misinformation and propaganda to justify this illegitimacy rather than engaging meaningfully with us to right the wrong,” the statement reads.
“Consequent to these, you hereby directed to cut off gas supply to NGIC effective immediately.”
The union directed all crude oil supply valves to the refinery to be shut, instructing that the loading operation “for vessel headed there should be halted immediately”.
“NGIC Chairman, ensure that gas supply to the Refinery is cut off effective immediately,” PENGASSAN said.
The union urged all chairpersons affected by the directive to promptly report the progress of their actions.
