By Abubakar Yunusa
Many Nigerians have rejected the planned disruption of fuel supply nationwide following the strike declared by the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) against the Dangote Petroleum Refinery.
The Federal Government swiftly waded into the crisis, summoning both parties to an emergency meeting in Abuja today.
The spokesperson for the Ministry of Labour, Patience Onuobia, in a statement on Monday, said the Minister of Labour and Employment, Maigari Dingyadi, urged the union to shelve its strike threat, warning of grave consequences for the economy and national security.
“A strike will not only lead to heavy revenue losses by the country but also cause more hardship for Nigerians,” Onuobia said.
The dispute deepened at the weekend after PENGASSAN accused Dangote Refinery of sacking hundreds of workers who joined the union. The association alleged that some dismissed staff were replaced with expatriates.
In a circular signed by its General Secretary, Lumumba Okugbawa, PENGASSAN directed its members across all oil and gas installations nationwide to down tools from Sunday, September 28.
The development has sparked sharp reactions.
Speaking on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief, economist Ken Ife warned the union against embarking on an “industrial war it cannot win” with the Dangote Group.
“My advice to labour is: don’t join a fight you cannot win. Don’t try to destroy a refinery that is systemic, strategic, and protects national interests,” he said.
Public affairs commentator Usman Okai Austin,in an interview with Peoples Daily on Tuesday,alleged that PENGASSAN was being used by oil cartels threatened by Dangote’s dominance.
“This is not about protecting workers. It is about oil cartels fighting Dangote. They don’t want competition,” he argued.
Current affairs analyst, Abubakar Yahaya, insisted that Dangote’s control of the trucking value chain was “a win-win for the Nigerian economy,” noting that cheaper petroleum products would eventually reduce the cost of living.
Similarly, Muhammad Hamza cautioned against private sector workers being drawn into union battles that, in his words, “could cripple essential services.”
He added: “They ruined all NNPC refineries, and now their target is Dangote Refinery. Nigerians must wake up.”
Collins Etim, another respondent, challenged PENGASSAN to “go to Warri, Port Harcourt and Kaduna refineries to protest” instead of targeting a private investment.
As the meeting between government, Dangote Refinery, and the union begins, Nigerians are watching closely, fearing that the strike could further aggravate fuel scarcity and inflation.
