•Maintain strikes may discourage investments  

•Want protection, fair treatment of workers  

•ACF BoT  chair  condemns ‘deliberate’ sabotage of refinery

•NUPENG attacks Oshiomhole over alleged anti-labour remarks   

•NLC: Shettima’s position on PENGASSAN, Dangote face-off troubling

Emmanuel Addeh and Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja and John Shiklam in Kaduna

Several eminent Nigerians yesterday intervened in the recent face-off between the Dangote Refinery and the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN), stressing that workers’ right to organise should not be overstretched to cripple the Nigerian economy.

In a joint statement by the concerned Nigerians, they also stated that the welfare of workers should not be left on the back burner of corporate goals, maintaining that no enterprise can succeed without motivated and fairly treated workers.

The statement was signed by Khalifa Muhammad Sanusi II, Sarkin Kano; Bishop Matthew Kukah; Arunma Oteh; Osita Chidoka ; Atedo Peterside; Senator Sola Akinyede; and Opeyemi Adamolekun.

Other signatories were: Abubakar Siddique Mohammed; Aisha Yesufu; Dr. Salamatu Hussaini Suleiman; Dudu Mamman Manuga; Ibrahim Dahiru Waziri and  Obonganwan Barbara Etim James.

The group noted with concern the recent disputes and disruptions surrounding the Dangote Refinery, emphasising that although the immediate crisis has been de-escalated through government mediation and renewed dialogue between labour and management, the episode raises important lessons for Nigeria’s economic future.

For decades, the eminent Nigerians said the nation has endured the collapse of government-owned refineries, the waste of trillions of naira in subsidies, and dependence on fuel imports.

These failures left citizens exposed to scarcity, inflation, and insecurity, they said, noting that in this context, the Dangote Refinery represents more than a private venture, but a national symbol of what bold domestic investment can achieve.

“Already, the refinery has begun to ease supply pressures, with petrol prices in some parts of the country dropping from around N1,500 per litre to about N820 — a 55 per cent reduction. This impact on transport costs and food prices offers Nigerians a glimpse of how local productivity can improve daily life. It also signals to investors at home and abroad that industry, rather than speculation, can still thrive in Nigeria.

“However, the strikes and threats that accompanied this transition send the wrong signals. Industrial disputes, if not carefully managed, risk discouraging both domestic and foreign investment at a time when Nigeria most needs capital and innovation. A refinery of this scale is a national lifeline, with profound consequences for jobs, energy security, and inflation.

“We wish to underscore three principles: Workers’ rights must be respected. The Constitution guarantees the right to organise and to demand fair treatment. No enterprise can succeed without motivated, fairly treated workers.

“Markets and productivity must be protected. The right to organise cannot become a license to hold the economy hostage. Productive enterprises that lower costs and create jobs must be safeguarded.

“Social responsibility and accountability must remain central. Investors of this magnitude must operate transparently, uphold fair labour practices, and reinvest in the communities they serve,” the statement noted.

Besides, the signatories noted that concerns about monopoly or market dominance should not be settled by disruptive industrial action, explaining that Nigeria has institutions, such as the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC), that are mandated to assess such claims.

Where there are legitimate issues of pricing or dominance, the proper channel, they argued, is through these statutory bodies, not strikes that harm ordinary Nigerians.

“Moreover, as has been noted, there is no legal monopoly here; others are free to invest in refining, provided they can mobilise the necessary resources and expertise,” the group pointed out.

It commended the federal government, labour unions, and Dangote Refinery for stepping back from confrontation and resolving the dispute through dialogue, urging that this spirit of constructive engagement becomes a template for the future.

At the same time, it stressed the dangers that such disruptions pose to investor confidence, economic stability, and Nigeria’s strategic interest in reducing dependency on imports.

“This crisis is not about a refinery or any other business. It is about the direction of our economy: whether we will continue in a cycle of scarcity and rent-seeking or build a future anchored in productivity, fairness, and shared prosperity.

“The Dangote refinery represents an audacious step forward. It should not be undermined but strengthened — as a signal to other industrialists that investing in Nigeria’s future is worthwhile,” they wrote.

Meanwhile, the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) has expressed dismay at the recent comments made by Senator Adams Oshiomhole on national TV, describing it as a reprehensible assault on the fundamental rights of Nigerian workers and a gross distortion of established labour laws.

The leadership of NUPENG said that it has declared Senator Adams Oshiomhole persona non grata within the ranks of Nigerian oil and gas workers for the ‘undistinguished’ denunciation of the PENGASSAN strike against the ‘unjustifiable’ sack of 800 engineers as punishment for exercising the fundamental right of unionism.

The union said that henceforth, it will not participate in or lend legitimacy to any event featuring  Oshiomhole.

A statement jointly signed by NUPENG president, Williams Akporeha and General Secretary,  Afolabi Olawale, accused Oshiomhole of  attempting to rationalise the victimisation of workers for exercising their fundamental rights of association and peaceful action.

“We witness with utter disappointment a former labour leader now transformed into a vocal advocate for corporate oppression, actively campaigning against the very rights he once championed.

“His attempts to rationalise the victimisation of workers for exercising their fundamental rights of association and peaceful action are not only nauseating but represent a flagrant misrepresentation of Nigerian Labour Law and International Labour Organisation (ILO) Conventions.

“First, it is the height of irony that we are compelled to ask whether the description of Senator Oshiomhole allegedly by former President Olusegun Obasanjo, at a dinner organised by Nigeria Labor Congress (NLC) during one of its Delegates Conference as ‘a Comrade in the morning and a politician by night’ is true.

“If former President Obasanjo’s description of Senator Oshiomhole is true, we are compelled to ask if such a person qualifies to lecture anyone on strategy and/or morality,” said NUPENG.

The union wondered how a person who once advised alleged corrupt politicians to join the APC to have their sins forgiven has the effrontery to sermonise on morality.

“It also speaks volumes to the character of Senator Oshiomhole claiming falsely to have relinquished his position as General Secretary of National Union of Textile, Garment and Tailoring Workers of Nigeria (NUTGTWN) upon becoming NLC President.

“It is beyond controversy that Mr. Adams Oshiomhole held on to the positions of NLC President and General Secretary of NUTGWN from 1999-2007, and he did not relinquish the position of the General Secretary until 2008, one full year after leaving NLC Presidency,” it said.

NUPENG said that it is a pathological tendency on the part of the senator to rewrite history to suit his current reactionary advocacy for the unconscionable capitalists who are not prepared to accommodate trade unions, in preference for slave labour. 

Regarding the issue of unionisation, NUPENG said that Section 40 of the Constitution  guarantees every person, meaning citizens and foreigners (not only citizens) in Nigeria, the right to freedom of association and assembly.

“The mass dismissal of workers for unionising is a blatant violation of these core international standards, which have become constitutional provisions by virtue of Section 254C (1) & (2) of the 1999 Constitution,” it said.

Also, the Chairman of the Board of Trustees (BoT) of the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), Alhaji Bashir Dalhatu, has condemned what he described as the deliberate sabotage of the Dangote Refinery.

Speaking at the meeting of the BoT held yesterday in Kaduna, he said the ongoing crisis at the newly completed facility is “deeply unfathomable and unacceptable.” Dalhatu accused  “unpatriotic unions backed by hidden cabals” of trying to destroy a strategic national asset.

He said: “These people must be told in no uncertain terms that they are working on behalf of the enemies of Nigeria and Nigerians, the living and the generations yet unborn.”

He called on the federal government to take urgent and decisive action to defend the refinery, which he described as a symbol of economic hope.

Besides, he commended the Nigerian armed forces  and other security agencies for the fight against insurgency and banditry in the North. He, however, urged  the military high command to continue reviewing its strategies to reduce casualties and stay ahead of emerging threats.

Dalhatu also expressed serious concern over recent incidents where senior ACF officials at both national and state levels issued conflicting statements to the media. He said: “The ACF today stands in great need of a firm protocol that should guide and regulate the manner in which officials speak about our affairs.”

The meeting also reviewed preparations for the upcoming Silver Jubilee celebration of the forum, scheduled to hold in Kaduna from November 20 to 22, 2025.

According to Dalhatu, the celebration will mark a major milestone for the ACF and serve as an opportunity to reposition it for future impact.

The  meeting also noted the proliferation of parallel groups in northern Nigeria and warned that the creation of splinter organisations with similar objectives to the ACF was undermining the unity and voice of the region.

“Our strength lies in our unity, in pooling resources together and in speaking with one voice on all matters affecting our people,” Dalhatu said.

Ahead of the 2027 general elections, Dalhatu reaffirmed the forum’s strict non-partisan stance, even as individual members may hold political affiliations. He said: “Although ACF members may belong to political parties of their choice, as an organisation, ACF is politically non-partisan and would not support one party over the other.”

He added that the forum will continue to advocate for viable democracy, good governance, and the unity of Nigeria.

Still on labour issues, the NLC has said that no company, no matter how big, strategic or well-connected, can be allowed to operate outside the law of the land.

It said that one of the major responsibilities of trade unions remains the protection of workers and their rights not just in Nigeria but across the world.

A statement signed by the NLC president, Joe Ajaero, described the position of Vice President, Kashim Shettima on the recent PENGASSAN – Dangote refinery face-off as deeply troubling.

“We state unequivocally to Vice President Shettima; No company, no matter how big, ‘strategic,’ or well-connected, can operate outside the law or be bigger than Nigeria. If the Dangote Refinery is to be granted rights and privileges over and above the law, then the government must be prepared for the storms that such an injustice will inevitably unleash. There can be no peace without justice.

“We condemn in the strongest terms this deeply troubling statement by the Vice President, Kashim Shettima, that the Dangote Group is a “national asset” and insinuating therefore that it should be exempt from obeying the nation’s labour laws.

“This statement is not only an affront to the rule of law but a national tragedy. It is a public declaration that capital, when sufficiently concentrated, is above the law, that money is sovereign and can undermine decent work principles,” the NLC said.

The NLC accused the Dangote Group of brazenly violating the rights of its workers to freedom of association and right to join the trade union of their choice; “a right guaranteed by our Constitution, the Trade Union Act, the Labour Act and core ILO Conventions to which Nigeria is a signatory.”

In the message to mark World Decent Work Day, NLC said that suppression of workers’ rights and the proliferation of indecent work create a low-productivity, high-exploitation economy, perpetuating poverty and social unrest.

While justifying the action taken by PENGASSAN in its dispute with Dangote, NLC said the company cannot be allowed to undermine the rights of its workers the way it did.

It said that Dangote Group is about setting a dangerous precedent, adding that contractors constructing NLNG Train 7 in Bonny Rivers state seem to have borrowed a leaf from Dangote and have sacked thousands of workers on the site and replaced them with Asians.

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