Taiwo Popoola
Nigerian workers under the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association (PENGASSAN) have directed their members nationwide to immediately shut down the supply of gas and crude to Dangote Refinery.
This was disclosed in a letter by the General Secretary of PENGASSAN, Lumumba Okugbawa, dated Saturday, to various branch chairmen of the union.
The union cited the refinery’s termination of appointments of over 800 workers as justification for the directive.
Accordingly, PENGASSAN stressed that members should immediately cut off gas to Nigerian Gas Infrastructure Company Limited, shut all crude oil supply valves to Dangote Refinery, and halt the loading operation for any vessel headed there.
“We bring you fraternal greetings from the National Secretariat. As you are aware, the management of Dangote Petroleum Refinery has disengaged our members in reaction to the exercise of their constitutional right to be unionised.
“They have gone further on a mission of misinformation and propaganda to justify this illegitimacy rather than engaging meaningfully with us to right the wrong.
“Consequent to these, you are hereby directed to cut off gas supply to NGIC effective immediately. All crude oil supply valves to the refinery should be shut. The loading operation for the vessel headed there should be halted immediately.
“NGIC Chairman, ensure that gas supply to the refinery is cut off effective immediately.
“All chairmen on this summons are to report promptly the progress of the directive. Kindly accept the assurances of our highest esteem. Thank you. ‘Injury to one, injury to all,’” the letter reads.
The action is a direct response to the 650,000-barrel-per-day refinery’s sacking of 800 workers after they voluntarily joined PENGASSAN.
This comes hours after Dangote confirmed that it sacked workers for an alleged ‘sabotage’.
After they joined PENGASSAN.
PENGASSAN president, Festus Osifo, in an interview with Urban Express News, vowed that all Sacked Workers Should be recalled by the refinery.
