Dismissing as tissues of lies, the claims of mass sack made by PENGASSAN in its statement on Saturday night upon which it premised the call on its members to embark on strike, Dangote Refinery said what the association had embarked upon was tantamount to act of terror.

While highlighting the possible consequences of the strike on hapless Nigerians, Dangote Refinery management in a statement titled “Lawless PENGASSAN: Its lies and Terror Tactics”, said PENGASSAN could not justify its decision to hold over 230 million Nigerians to ransom by cutting off their essential supplies of petroleum products–kerosene, cooking gas, petrol, diesel, aviation fuel, amongst others.

It stated that the resort by the association to bully tactics could not justify the threat to the lives of persons, including infants and aged persons, who need the petroleum products and attendant necessities for their life-support systems in the hospitals, in care homes, and the Nigerian workers whose lives and livelihood are to be put at risk with the strike.

Dangote Refinery management therefore called on the federal government and its agencies, as well as all Nigerians, to put a stop to PENGASSAN’s machinations and blackmail tactics of its oligarchs and sponsors.

“Assuming that there are Dangote Refinery workers or ex-workers who are affronted by or aggrieved over the organization’s decisions, they surely have remedies that they can be pursued in accordance with their employment contracts. PENGASSAN should not and must not be allowed to incite those employees or ex-employees; neither should it interpose itself between them and Dangote Refinery. PENGASSAN’s terrorist tactics must be defeated by the Nigerian people. It is in our interest to so do.

“PENGASSAN must not be allowed to persist in its bullying tactics against Nigerians. The Nigerian security and law enforcement agencies must provide security for the Nigerian workers in the oil and gas sector – all the facilities, installations and offices – so they can continue to provide their essential services to the Nigerian nation without let or hindrance by or from PENGASSAN and its co-travelers”, the refinery management stated.

The statement reads: “In our release, we pointed out that “over 3,000 Nigerians continue to work actively in our Petroleum Refinery” and that “we continue to recruit Nigerian talent through our various graduate trainee programmes and experienced hire recruitment process”. PENGASSAN has not joined issues with us on these factual assertions; rather it continues to peddle the falsehood that Dangote Refinery has sacked “all Nigerians working in the refinery and” presumably hired “over 2,000 Indians” to replace them. That is complete falsehood. We also stated in the release that there is an “on-going reorganization within” the Dangote Refinery which has resulted in the discharge of “a very small number of staff” and that the “exercise is not arbitrary” but is being carried out “in the best interest of the Refinery”.

“These facts have not been rebutted by PENGASSAN neither has its oligarchs attempted to meet with Dangote Refinery to verify the truth. Rather it continues to peddle the falsehood that we have sacked “over 800 members” of PENGASSAN “for joining PENGASSAN”. Assuming that was a fact, which it is not, would that justify the terror and guerrilla tactics that the Association is now unleashing on Nigerians? Would that justify holding over 230 million Nigerians to ransom by cutting off their essential supplies of petroleum products – kerosene, cooking gas, petrol, diesel, aviation fuel, amongst others? Would that justify threatening the lives of persons, including infants and aged persons, who need the petroleum products and attendant necessities for their life-support systems in the hospitals, in care homes, etc. Would that justify the bully tactics of putting the livelihoods of Nigerian workers – the very people that PENGASSAN falsely professes to represent – and their extended dependents, at risk? And when we talk about Nigerian workers whose livelihoods are at risk, this goes well beyond the workers of Dangote Refinery and encompasses all Nigerian workers, including all the PENGASSAN members “across all offices, companies, institutions, and agencies” who are being commanded by the Association’s fiat, to down tools simply because the oligarchs within the Association believe it is fanciful to cut their noses to spite Dangote Refinery.

“This is a bully tactic that the Nigerian State and people must not succumb to or allow. As the Association rightly pointed out in its Release, “no man or company” – and we must add, or Association, be it PENGASSAN or any other – “no matter how highly placed” or entrenched, “is above the law and cannot be called to order by the national institutions”. The oligarchs in PENGASSAN have proved themselves to be terrorists and have turned the Association into a bully organization. It is time they be called to order. Indeed, over time, the Association has consistently proved itself as serving interests other than those of Nigerians and Nigerian workers, and a few illustrative examples would suffice:

“When in 2007 the Federal Government sold its moribund refineries in Port Harcourt and Kaduna to Blue Star Consortium led by Dangote Group at US$750million, it was this same bully Association, PENGASSAN and its co-travellers one of whom is the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (“NUPENG”) that vociferously sabotaged the process. It is now obvious to everyone that the FGN’s decision at the time was the right one and that PENGASSAN and NUPENG ignominiously wrote their names on the wrong pages of history. (See Annexures 1 and 2)

“More recently, PENGASSAN with its co-travellers loudly celebrated the purported rehabilitation of the Port Harcourt Refinery. Nigerians now know that the purported rehabilitation was a ruse and that PENGASSAN was knowingly celebrating a scam on Nigerians. PENGASSAN has also been in the forefront of opposing the amendment of the Petroleum Industry Act, 2021 in a manner that would allow the Federal Government to restructure the equity holdings of some of its upstream Joint Venture assets and thereby provide much-needed liquidity for the Government while injecting private-sector funding and expertise for the management of the assets. This is reminiscent of the inglorious role of the same PENGASSAN and its allies in aborting the sale of the Port Harcourt and Kaduna refineries in 2007.

“Dangote Group is the highest employer of labour in Nigeria and the highest contributor to the tax revenues of Nigeria and its sub-nationals. What comparable social responsibility has PENGASSAN, with its billions of Naira in monthly check-off dues and subscriptions, lived up to? Can it publish publicly its account for the last 10 years and list out its corporate responsibility activities within that timeframe?

“Dangote Refinery is a national asset that must be protected by the Nigerian State and its people. It must not be threatened by the PENGASSAN oligarchs and their co-travellers. The threatened action by the Association against Dangote Refinery threatens the economic recovery and energy security of Nigeria. We must not allow the Association and its co-conspirators to sabotage and imperil the economic recovery and energy security of the country. The economic recovery of Nigeria must not be derailed and/or reversed by PENGASSAN. To paraphrase the perverted and abused sayings of the Association, no Association, not even PENGASSAN, “is bigger than our country”. “An injury” to Dangote Refinery by PENGASSAN, “is an injury to all”.

“We conclude by reasserting the opacity and lack of transparency in the operations of PENGASSAN as evident in its failure or inability to publish its audited accounts over the years. Why has the watchdog which the Association and its partner, NUPENG, profess to be, failed these several years to publish their respective audited accounts and be accountable to their members and the Nigerian people?

“We challenge both PENGASSAN and NUPENG to publish for the Nigerian public, within 7 (seven) days of this publication, their respective 10 (ten) years audited accounts, failing which they should permanently bury their heads in shame.”

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Justice Emmanuel Danjuma Subilim, ruling on an ex parte motion filed by Dangote Refinery’s counsel, George Ibrahim (SAN), also barred the unions from obstructing public roads or disrupting operations at Dangote Refinery, MRS Oil Nigeria Plc, and MRS Oil and Gas Company Ltd.

The court, sitting in Abuja Wednesday, held that irreparable damage could occur if the injunction was not granted.

The restraining order, valid for seven days, is to remain in effect pending the hearing of a motion on notice.

Justice Subilim directed that the unions be served within the week and ordered the case file transferred to the court president for reassignment, as the vacation jurisdiction ends on September 23.

Dangote Refinery had approached the court and sought orders restraining NUPENG and the drivers’ association, their members, agents, and representatives from engaging in industrial action aimed at crippling refinery operations.

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The refinery further asked the court to compel the drivers to continue petroleum trucking services to the refinery, MRS, and the Nigerian public pending the determination of the motion on notice.

Mr. Ibrahim argued that the unions’ actions contravened Section 40 of the 1999 Constitution, which guarantees freedom of association, and Section 12(4) of the Trade Union Act. He maintained that the court had jurisdiction to intervene in the dispute.

In the supporting affidavit, the refinery pledged to pay damages if the injunction is later deemed unjustified.

The court found that the balance of convenience favoured the refinery and that a serious issue was at stake.

Meanwhile, Dangote Refinery reiterated its support for voluntary unionism, stating it respects workers’ rights to join or abstain from union membership.

It also dismissed monopoly claims, noting that over 30 refinery licences had been issued to other private operators.

NUPENG, however, accused the refinery of violating a recent resolution on workers’ rights and intimidating union officials.

The union has placed its members on red alert and called for government and civil society intervention.

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The union made this known in a statement by its National President, Mr Williams Akporeha, and General Secretary, Mr Afolabi Olawale, on Thursday in Abuja.

The union accused Dangote Group of violating a peace agreement brokered by the federal government.

According to the statement, the peace pact was signed on Tuesday at the DSS headquarters to guarantee workers’ rights and industrial harmony.

“On September 10, Alhaji Sayyu Dantata instructed all his truck drivers, who have been members of the Petroleum Tanker Drivers branch of NUPENG for several years, to remove union stickers from their trucks.

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“On September 11, he further directed the drivers to storm the Dangote Refinery for loading, in spite of our officials blocking them over violations of established loading rules and regulations.

“We are, by this statement, placing all our members on red alert for the possible resumption of the suspended nationwide industrial action,” it said.

The union urged organised labour and civil society organisations to resist what it described as threats from the capitalist class.

”We call on everyone to let Alhaji Sayyu Dantata know that he is not bigger than Nigeria.

“We strongly condemn his disregard for official institutions of this great country,” the union stated.

NUPENG also warned against the use of security agencies to intimidate workers and urged the federal government to intervene promptly.

It further called for solidarity from the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, the Trade Union Congress, TUC, and civil society groups.

It stressed that workers’ rights must be defended.

Source: NAN

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Mr Festus Osifo, TUC President General, said this in a statement he jointly signed with Mr Nuhu Toro, General Secretary of the union on Monday in Abuja.

TUC described the policy as “economic wickedness” against already overburdened citizens battling subsidy removal, soaring fuel prices, food inflation, and a weakening naira.

“To now introduce another levy is to deliberately compound suffering, cripple businesses, and push millions of citizens deeper into poverty.

“Nigerians cannot continue to be used as sacrificial lambs for economic experiments and the tax proposal is anti-people, unacceptable,” the union said.

The TUC therefore urged the federal government to immediately stop “the anti-people’s plan in its entirety.”

It added that the failure to do so would leave the workers with no option but to mobilise Nigerians and the masses for a total nationwide resistance.

“Strike is firmly on the table if government dares to ignore this warning and go ahead to implement this policy,” it said.

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The TUC further directed all state councils, affiliates, and structures to remain vigilant and await further communication that could culminate in decisive action.

The union further called on civil society groups, professional bodies, student unions, faith leaders, and market associations to join in solidarity against what it described as an unjust economic policy.

“Enough is enough. Nigerians deserve economic justice, not endless punishment,” it said.

Meanwhile, in another statement, the TUC also condemned alleged anti-labour practices, intimidation, and harassment of workers across Dangote Group of companies.

It would be recalled that NUPENG have accused Dangote companies of denying workers’ rights to unionize and assaulting their dignity through persistent intimidation.

“We will not fold our arms while Dangote treats Nigerian workers as slaves in their own country. No employer, no matter how wealthy, will be allowed to trample on labour,” the statement reads.

The union therefore urged Dangote to address PENGASSAN and NUPENG’s complaints, and also to recognise the rights of all affected unions immediately and unconditionally.

It said that failure to comply would trigger nationwide solidarity action, with TUC and its affiliates standing shoulder-to-shoulder with the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC.

“This is not an appeal. It is a final warning. An injury to one is an injury to all. Touch PENGASSAN, CANMPSSAN, TGTSSAN, and NUPENG, you touch the entire labour movement,” it added.

Source: NAN

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Mr Muhammad Dingyadi, Minister of Labour and Employment, made the appeal in a statement issued on Sunday in Abuja and signed by Ms Patience Onuobia, Head of Press and Public Relations in the ministry.

Dingyadi urged the union to reconsider its decision, warning that shutting down the petroleum sector would severely cripple the Nigerian economy and worsen the hardship faced by citizens.

“I have intervened in this matter and invited all parties for a conciliation meeting,” he said.

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The minister also appealed to the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, to withdraw its red alert directing affiliate unions to prepare for solidarity action with petroleum workers.

“The petroleum sector is the core of our economy.

“Even a day’s strike will cause heavy revenue losses, running into billions, and bring untold hardship to Nigerians,” he added.

He assured the public that the dispute between NUPENG and the Dangote Group over unionisation rights would be resolved peacefully to avoid any disruption in the vital oil and gas industry.

“I plead with the unions to give peace a chance.

“This matter will be resolved amicably, to the satisfaction of all parties involved,” he added.

Source: NAN

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The congress specifically called on the president to call on Dangote Group to comply with labour laws and international conventions.

NLC made the call in a statement signed by its president, Mr Joe Ajaero, which was made available to newsmen on Saturday in Abuja.

The statement was sequel to the announcement by NUPENG that it would commence a nationwide strike from Sunday, over what it described as Dangote’s “anti-union practices, monopolistic agenda, and indecent industrial relations strategies.”

Ajaero called on the president to “immediately call Aliko Dangote and Alhaji Sayyu Dantata to order” and impress on them to respect the nation and international law.

Ajaero added that the government must not look the other way while a few individuals privatise the nation’s energy future and enslave its workforce.

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The NLC president accused Dangote Group of exploiting Nigerian workers while disregarding their constitutional rights to unionise and bargain collectively.

“The NLC unequivocally condemn the anti-union, anti-worker, and monopolistic practices of the Dangote Group and its affiliates.

“Nigerian workers are not slaves and cannot be serially abused without consequences,” he said.

Ajaero said the congress further demanded the immediate unionisation of Dangote Refinery and all its subsidiaries.

According to him, preparations are underway for a united resistance in solidarity with NUPENG, including possible industrial action.

“If Dangote continues on this reckless anti-union path, we will move beyond words to action.

“Our solidarity is not negotiable. We will fight because we must.

“The working class must not be sacrificed on the altar of corporate greed,” he said.

Source: NAN

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This was stated in a joint statement signed by Mr Williams Akporeha, National Executive President, and Mr Aflabi Olawale, Secretary General of the union on Friday in Abuja.

The union accused Dangote and his cousin, Sayyu Dantata, of plotting to create a monopoly that threatened jobs, unions, and the economic rights of Nigerians.

“NUPENG is seriously concerned and disturbed with the unconscionable business practices of Alhaji Sayyu Aliu Dantata and Alhaji Aliko Dangote who are scared of allowing unions to exist in their business outfits.

“To us, amassing wealth on the basis of enslavement, depriving workers of a union and voice amounts to creating filthy wealth.

“NUPENG will not stand idly by while these billionaires seek to destroy the livelihoods of thousands of workers, including tanker drivers,” it said.

The union also raised concerns over Dangote’s plan to import 10,000 Compressed Natural Gas, CNG, trucks for fuel distribution, which NUPENG claimed was a scheme to dominate the downstream sector.

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According to NUPENG, new drivers recruited under the scheme are being forced to sign agreements preventing them from joining existing trade unions, a move the union has labeled unconstitutional.

Union leaders stated that the practice violated workers’ rights protected under Nigeria’s Constitution and international labour conventions ratified by the country since 1960.

“This is not philanthropy, it is economic sabotage. Dangote’s plan will enslave workers, crush competition, and ultimately raise fuel prices for ordinary Nigerians.

“Therefore, all the members of the Petroleum Tanker Drivers Branch of NUPENG will from Monday,  Sept. 8 start looking for alternative employments and skills and sources of livelihoods,” the union said.

NUPENG urged the federal government through the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority to intervene, warning that failure to act would encourage “tyrannical, anti-union business practices.”

The union also called on the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, Trade Union Congress, TUC, and international labour organisations to prepare for mass protests and industrial action in solidarity.

“Workers are no slaves, to resist unions is to resist collective bargaining.

“The working class will not be sacrificed on the altar of corporate greed,” it said.

Source: NAN

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Mr Festus Osifo, President of PENGASSAN, disclosed this while addressing newsmen at the end of the National Executive Council, NEC, meeting in Abuja on Tuesday.

According to Osifo, the refinery rehabilitation was made possible through stringent financial oversight and the active involvement of unions in the project’s management.

He noted that the refinery was producing products such as diesel, kerosene, and petrol through its distillation unit.

Osifo attributed the past attempts to refurbish the refinery’s little progress to the lack of transparency and accountability.

He commended the establishment of a steering committee, including representatives from PENGASSAN and NUPENG, to ensure transparency and accountability.

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Although the refinery’s functionality is a significant milestone, Osifo noted that the impact on fuel prices remained limited due to the devaluation of the naira.

According to him, with the exchange rate at about N1,700 to $1, the cost of goods, including petroleum products, is bound to remain high.

Osifo reiterated PENGASSAN’s call for adopting the Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas, NLNG, ownership model for managing the nation’s refineries.

He urged the government to involve reputable international oil companies with expertise in refinery management to achieve similar results for the nation’s refineries.

Source: NAN

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Sen. Heineken Lokpobiri, Minister of State Petroleum Resources (Oil), gave the assurance on Monday in Abuja, when he met with some of the oil stakeholders in the downstream sector.

The stakeholders include members of the Nigerian Association of Road Transport Owners, NARTO; Petroleum Tankers Drivers, PTD; Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria, IPMAN, and the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers, NUPENG.

The meeting became necessary in view of fuel queues which returned to various fuel stations.

The development is as a result of the suspension of operations by NARTO, in fulfillment of the threat to suspend lifting of petroleum products nationwide and down tools from Monday due to high cost of operations and maintenance.

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NARTO and the oil marketers had complained of the high cost of diesel which is over N1, 300 per litre required to fuel their trucks for the transportation and distribution of petroleum products nationwide.

A News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, correspondent who went round the city of Abuja disclosed that many fuel stations were not dispensing the Premium Motor Spirit, PMS, known as petrol, while few marketers that were dispensing had long queues and sold between N617 and N675 per litre.

The NNPC Ltd. retail outlets that sold at N617 per litre also had long queues, while black marketers were seen on the roads.

The minister, however, said the transporters had demonstrated patriotism and assured of constant and sustained engagement to find lasting solutions to their challenges.

“Nigerians are already going through a lot as a result of the circumstances we found ourselves in.

“The issues they raised are basically commercial and as a government, we have to intervene so that Nigerians will not suffer. At the end of the engagement, there will be a solution,” he said.

Speaking with NAN after the meeting, NARTO President, Yusuf Othman, said the meeting was fruitful because the minister appreciated them and assured them of the government’s readiness to tackle their challenges.

“We are not fighting the government and it is not government business anymore to pay us freight rate, rather it is in the hands of the oil marketers.

“The oil marketers also made some increase in the freight rate which should be addressed too. The minister promised to meet with us and the marketers on Tuesday,” Othman said.

NAN reports that the engagement which is expected to find a lasting solution to the challenges continues on Tuesday.

Source: NAN

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NUPENG General Secretary, Olawale Afolabi, in a statement on Monday in Abuja, said there was no plan whatsoever by the petroleum tanker drivers to protest over leadership tussle.

He also said there was no division in the union as being speculated by some individuals and their sponsors, adding that the report was false and unfounded and should be disregarded.

The general secretary said the motive of those behind the speculation was to create panic in the public space and cause artificial scarcity of petroleum products.

Afolabi tasked security agencies to fish out those behind the reports which he said was capable of creating social upheaval and security concerns.

He explained that the statement was to avert any form of panic and to ask members of the public to ignore the false and misleading report.

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The secretary general assured that all petroleum tanker drivers were fully committed to national services for effective and efficient distribution of petroleum products across the country.

“We earnestly call on security agencies to urgently fish out the writer of this very misleading and panic creating news items.

“Make them face the full wrath of the law if they cannot prove the source and authority of the fake news which is very capable of creating social upheaval,” Afolabi said.

The PTD branch of NUPENG national chairman, Augustine Egbon, said the report was being spread to create panic in the supply chain of petroleum products distribution in the country.

The chairman maintained that there was no division within the union’s rank and therefore, no need for any form of protests.

“The PTD-NUPENG wishes to alert the general public of the antics of some desperate and mischievous individuals to cause unfounded and dangerous panic in the supply chain of petroleum products distribution in the country.

“This they are doing through spreading of fake and false news items, petroleum tanker drivers are not embarking on any form of protest.

“We are determined to continue our services to the nation and whole heartedly support the efforts of the government of President Bola Tinubu to put our economy on the right track for the good of all,” he said.

The chairman added that the unity of the union’s workers could never be defeated.

Egbon implored the general public to ignore every mischief maker and called on security agencies to fully investigate the panic-creating news reports.

That, he said, was especially because citizens were already going through enough tough times and situations.

Source: NAN

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