Nigerian workers under the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association (PENGASSAN) have been directed to immediately shut down the supply of gas and crude to Dangote Refinery. This directive was issued in a letter by the General Secretary of PENGASSAN, Lumumba Okugbawa, to various branch chairmen of the union. The decision comes after the refinery terminated the appointments of over 800 workers who had voluntarily joined PENGASSAN.
According to the union, members are expected to cut off gas supply to the Nigerian Gas Infrastructure Company Limited, shut all crude oil supply valves to Dangote Refinery, and halt loading operations for any vessel headed to the refinery. PENGASSAN cited the refinery’s actions as a violation of the workers’ constitutional right to unionize. The union claims that the refinery’s management has engaged in misinformation and propaganda to justify the terminations instead of addressing the issue meaningfully.
The 650,000-barrel-per-day refinery had sacked the workers after they joined PENGASSAN, prompting a strong response from the union. PENGASSAN President, Festus Osifo, has vowed that all sacked workers should be recalled by the refinery. The dispute between PENGASSAN and Dangote Refinery escalated after the refinery confirmed that it had sacked workers for alleged sabotage.
The shutdown of gas and crude supply to Dangote Refinery is a significant development in the ongoing dispute between the union and the refinery. The action is likely to have implications for the refinery’s operations and the broader energy sector in Nigeria. As the situation continues to unfold, it remains to be seen how the refinery will respond to the union’s demands and whether a resolution can be reached. The union’s directive to its members reinforces the importance of workers’ rights and the need for meaningful engagement between employers and employees.
