Senator Adams Oshiomhole, a former President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), has criticised the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) for escalating its dispute with the Dangote Refinery into a nationwide shutdown of oil operations.
Speaking in an interview with Arise Television on Friday, Oshiomhole described the union’s action as premature and detrimental to the larger economy, stating that the strike caused unnecessary hardship for Nigerians.
“In trying to protect the rights of a particular group of workers, we must be careful not to endanger the jobs and livelihoods of many others,” he said.
Oshiomhole condemned the decision to shut down facilities operated by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC) and other firms over issues that were specific to one refinery. He stressed that labour disputes should be directed at the employers directly involved, not extended to unrelated entities.
“I witnessed long queues at petrol stations. People were asking why they weren’t at work or why fuel had suddenly disappeared,” he said. “The answer was that PENGASSAN shut down NNPC and other companies—all because of a problem with just one refinery.”
Reflecting on his tenure as NLC President, Oshiomhole shared an example where the union had a serious disagreement with Union Bank over its policy regarding married couples working together. Despite their capacity to shut down all banks, he noted that they targeted only Union Bank, recognising that the issue was isolated.
He urged labour unions to consider the wider impact of industrial action.
“You can’t punish innocent citizens like tomato sellers who can’t transport their goods because of a dispute between one union and one employer,” he added.
While affirming that the right to unionise is both constitutional and moral, Oshiomhole stressed that with such rights come responsibilities.
“Freedom of association is a God-given right, but it must be exercised with fairness by both employers and employees.”
He also appealed for understanding when dealing with new private sector players like the Dangote Refinery, saying such businesses need time to stabilise.
“An employer must be allowed to mature. If you cripple a business before it finds its feet, you destroy the same jobs you claim to protect,” he warned.
The Dangote Refinery, commissioned in May 2023 by former President Muhammadu Buhari, is the largest single-train refinery in Africa with a capacity of 650,000 barrels per day.
PENGASSAN had, in September, ordered its members to shut down operations in protest over alleged anti-labour practices at the refinery.
The action caused fuel queues across multiple states, sparking concerns among government officials and industry stakeholders over the impact on Nigeria’s already fragile energy supply chain.
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