Amanze Chinonye
The Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) has responded to Vice President Kashim Shettima’s remarks criticizing its recent strike over the dismissal of union members at the Dangote Refinery, declaring that the nation’s interests remain greater than those of any individual or institution.
Vice President Shettima made the comments in Abuja on Monday during the 31st Nigerian Economic Summit (NES), themed “The Reform Imperative: Building a Prosperous and Inclusive Nigeria by 2030.”
Shettima described the Dangote Refinery as a national asset that must be protected “at all cost,” emphasizing Aliko Dangote’s contributions to Nigeria’s economy and urging restraint in handling labour disputes.
Join our WhatsApp Channel“Aliko Dangote is not an individual, he is an institution, and he is a leading light in Nigeria’s economic parliament. And how we treat this gentleman will determine how outsiders will judge us,” Shettima said.
“If he had invested $10 billion in Microsoft, Amazon, or Google, he probably might be worth $70 to $80 billion by now. But he opted to invest in his country, and we owe it to future generations to jealously protect, promote, and preserve the interests of this great Nigeria.”
He called for “caution, retrospection, and a deeper sense of patriotism” from both labour and the private sector, warning against “holding the whole nation to ransom because of a minor labour dispute.”
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However, reacting to the Vice President’s remarks, PENGASSAN President, Festus Osifo, said while the association shared the sentiment that Nigeria was greater than any individual or organisation, that principle applied equally to Dangote and the Presidency.
“Of course the nation is bigger than PENGASSAN, the way it’s bigger than Dangote and the Presidency,” Osifo stated. “We have a mandate to protect the jobs of our members, and we will discharge that duty whenever the need arises.”
Osifo explained that the union’s industrial action was in response to the unlawful dismissal of workers at the Dangote Refinery for joining PENGASSAN, stressing that the move violated labour laws.
He affirmed that the matter has since been resolved following the Federal Government’s intervention, which restored industrial harmony in the oil and gas sector.
“Should this same event occur again tomorrow, our approach will be exactly the same,” Osifo added.
The resolution of the dispute paved the way for the resumption of normal operations across depots nationwide.
The $20 billion Dangote Refinery, Africa’s largest single-train refining facility, is regarded as a critical asset for Nigeria’s energy security. The episode had nonetheless sparked broader debate over the need to balance support for major investors with the protection of workers’ rights in the country’s evolving industrial landscape.
Amanze Chinonye is a Staff Correspondent at Prime Business Africa, a rising star in the literary world, weaving captivating stories that transport readers to the vibrant landscapes of Nigeria and the rest of Africa. With a unique voice that blends with the newspaper's tradition and style, Chinonye's writing is a masterful exploration of the human condition, delving into themes of identity, culture, and social justice. Through her words, Chinonye paints vivid portraits of everyday African life, from the bustling markets of Nigeria's Lagos to the quiet villages of South Africa's countryside . With a keen eye for detail and a deep understanding of the complexities of Nigerian society, Chinonye's writing is both a testament to the country's rich cultural heritage and a powerful call to action for a brighter future. As a writer, Chinonye is a true storyteller, using her dexterity to educate, inspire, and uplift readers around the world.
