The refinery says the union’s directive to its members is an act of lawlessness, criminality and amounts to economic sabotage Dangote Petroleum Refinery & Petrochemicals has stated that the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) has no right to interfere in the supply of gas and crude oil to the …
Dangote to PENGASSAN: You’ve no Right to Disrupt Gas, Crude Supply
The refinery says the union’s directive to its members is an act of lawlessness, criminality and amounts to economic sabotage
Dangote Petroleum Refinery & Petrochemicals has stated that the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) has no right to interfere in the supply of gas and crude oil to the refinery.
In a statement released on Saturday, the refinery’s management warned that PENGASSAN is engaging in lawlessness and criminality, adding that it amounts to economic sabotage at multiple levels in the country.
Pinnacle Daily had reported that PENGASSAN on Friday directed its members at TotalEnergies E&P, Seplat, Renaissance, Chevron, Oando, Shell Nigeria Gas, and the Nigeria Infrastructure Gas Company (NGIC) Branches to halt supply of gas to the refinery and also turn off all valves supplying crude oil to the $20 billion facility.
PENGASSAN said the action was in response to the disengagement of some Nigerian workers by the company after they joined the union.
Reacting, the Dangote Refinery described PENGASSAN’s act as a brazen act of lawlessness and criminality.
The company pointed out that no law gives PENGASSAN the right to direct its branches to “cut off” gas and crude oil supplies to Dangote Refinery.
It argued that the refinery has a supply contract agreement with vendors and PENGASSAN is not part of the deal.
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“There is also no law in our statute books that would support or enable the PENGASSAN branches having to “cut off” gas and crude oil supplies to Dangote Refinery,” part of the statement read. “Besides, it constitutes a criminal conduct for PENGASSAN or its members to disrupt and/or interfere howsoever in the contract between Dangote Refinery and its various vendors for the supply of gas and crude oil to the Refinery.”
“Those supply contracts were not entered into with PENGASSAN; they were entered into by Dangote Refinery with third party vendors and suppliers and PENGASSAN has no right whatsoever to disrupt and/or interfere with the performance of those contracts.”
It reminded PENGASSAN that Nigeria is a country governed by laws which prohibits resorting to “self-help and mob action that could introduce mayhem and chaos and easily translate into anarchy.”
The refinery pointed out that PENGASSAN’s latest move contradicts its earlier statement that it will take all necessary legal actions to challenge the Dangote Refinery’s action of sacking some staff.
READ ALSO: Dangote Begins Direct Fuel Supply, Cuts Petrol Pump Price To ₦841/litre
“It is instructive that no sooner had the Association issued the Press Release than it abandoned the path of lawfulness and embraced criminal conduct and the path that leads to mayhem and anarchy by issuing the aforementioned directive.”
It stressed that apart from the lawlessness and criminality inherent in the PENGASSAN instruction to its branches, the association’s directive amounts to economic sabotage at multiple levels.
It stated that the directive means disrupting supply of products, such as aviation fuel, petrol, kerosene, diesel and cooking gas, that are basic necessities for all Nigerian households.
“In what circumstance would it be justified for PENGASSAN to so disrupt and introduce insufferable hardship into the living conditions of Nigerians?”it asked, stressing that it is neither done in the interest of the Nigerian State nor the public and citizens.
“This is also economic sabotage against the Nigerian State at multiple levels. Dangote Refinery is the only refinery of its type in Africa and ordinarily should be the pride of all Nigerians as well as the governments of Nigeria. It should ordinarily have special protection and status and indeed qualifies as a strategic national asset. An irreparable injury to the Dangote Refinery such as PENGASSAN has directed constitutes a national embarrassment to all of us.”
The refinery warned that the labour union’s directive could send a wrong signal to external investors who ordinarily would have been encouraged by the success of the Dangote Refinery to contemplate investing in Nigeria’s oil and gas sector or the economy generally.
The refinery further stated that it is one of the largest contributors to the revenue purse of the Nigerian governments- both Federal and sub-nationals, warning that the contribution is being threatened and could be paused if PENGASSAN’s directive is implemented by its branches.
It called on all Nigerians to take note of “the unquantifiable and irredeemable hardship” which PENGASSAN wishes to inflict on them by halting supply of petroleum products required by all households for daily activities.
“The repercussions from the PENGASSAN directive would affect and inflict harm on all Nigerians This is therefore a fight for all Nigerians,” the refinery stated, urging PENGASSAN to take legal process as it stated earlier, instead of resorting to anarchy.
Victor Ezeja is a passionate journalist, scholar and analyst of socioeconomic issues in Nigeria and Africa. He is skilled in energy reporting, business and economy, and holds a master's degree in mass communication.
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