PENGASSAN, Shettima Clash Over Ongoing Dispute Involving Dangote Refinery
PENGASSAN, Shettima Clash Over Ongoing Dispute Involving Dangote Refinery
The Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) has responded strongly to the Presidency after Vice President Kashim Shettima criticized their industrial action against the Dangote Refinery.
PENGASSAN maintained that its members’ strike was warranted, emphasizing that the union would readily take similar action again if its members faced unfair dismissal in the future.
The union’s response unfolds amidst increasing controversy over its dispute with the Dangote Refinery. Over the weekend, protesters in Kaduna accused PENGASSAN of attempting to disrupt the refinery’s operations—an accusation that the union has vehemently denied.
Last week, PENGASSAN closed key oil and gas facilities, claiming that Dangote Refinery dismissed 800 employees who had joined the union. However, Dangote Refinery stated it only terminated a small number of workers for sabotaging operations as part of its restructuring efforts.
However, oil and gas workers initiated a strike to support their colleagues, leading to nationwide losses in both oil and gas production along with a decline in power generation.
The Federal Government’s intervention brought back normalcy when PENGASSAN called off the strike on Wednesday, following a request for the Dangote Group to reassign the dismissed workers to different business units.
Even though the strike that led to long lines at filling stations has been suspended, the price of cooking gas remains high. It is still selling for N2,000 per kg in Lagos and other areas as of Monday, rather than returning to around N900 per kg.
At the inauguration of the 2025 Nigerian Economic Summit in Abuja on Monday, Shettima praised Dangote as both an institution and a cornerstone of Nigeria’s economic progress. He cautioned that Nigeria surpasses PENGASSAN in importance and emphasized that no group should jeopardize the nation’s well-being.
The Vice President stated, “Aliko Dangote is more than just an individual; he represents an institution and serves as a guiding force in Nigeria’s economic leadership.”
The way we treat this gentleman will influence how others perceive us. Had he invested $10 billion in Microsoft, Amazon, or Google, his worth might now be around $70 to $80 billion. However, he chose to invest in his own country. It is our responsibility to future generations to diligently safeguard and advance the interests of this great nation of Nigeria.
I urge both labor and the organized private sector to exercise caution, engage in reflection, and embrace a deeper sense of patriotism as they work towards defining and enhancing their relationship. This will help sustain our steadily improving economic prosperity. It’s important not to hold the entire nation hostage over minor labor disputes.
“Nigeria is greater than PENGASSAN. Nigeria surpasses each one of us,” Shettima stressed.
In response, Festus Osifo, the National President of PENGASSAN, stated that both Dangote and the Presidency are smaller entities compared to the nation itself.
