VP Shettima slams PENGASSAN over ‘minor labour dispute’ strike
Story by Susan Mbamah
Vice-President Kashim Shettima has criticized the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN), stating it was unnecessary for the union to “hold the nation to ransom over a minor labour dispute.”
Shettima made this assertion on Monday at the 31st Nigerian Economic Summit (NES), organized by the Nigerian Economic Summit Group (NESG) in Abuja.
Strike Over Dangote Refinery Layoffs
The union had commenced a nationwide strike on September 28 following the dismissal of Nigerian workers by the Dangote refinery. The strike was suspended on October 1 after the Dangote Group, the refinery’s parent company, agreed to re-deploy the affected workers.
Protecting a National ‘Institution’
Faulting PENGASSAN’s industrial action, the Vice-President stressed that Aliko Dangote, president of the Dangote Group, is not just an individual but an institution and “a leading light in Nigeria’s economic parliament.”
READ ALSO: PENGASSAN suspends strike after truce with Dangote
Shettima articulated the importance of how the nation treats its major investors: “And how we treat this gentleman will determine how outsiders will judge us. If he had invested $10 billion in Microsoft, in Amazon, in Google, probably he 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, preserve, and project the interests of this great Nigeria.”
Call for Caution and Patriotism
The Vice-President urged both organised labor and the private sector to exercise restraint for the sake of the economy. “I wish to call for caution, retrospection and a deeper sense of patriotism from both the labour and the organised private sector in defining and improving the relationship between labour and industry in the interest of maintaining our steadily improving economic fortunes,” he said.
He reiterated the disproportionate nature of the action: “It’s not about holding the whole nation to ransom because of a minor labour dispute. Nigeria is greater than Pingas and Nigeria is greater than each and every one of us.”
Emphasising that his stance was not partisan but that of a “patriot in search of solutions to our national challenges,” Shettima tasked the NESG with providing priority recommendations.
READ ALSO: FG appeals to PENGASSAN over Dangote dispute, calls for truce meeting
“The government will expect priority recommendations from the NESG in addressing this issue even as the government is also taking steps to protect big industry and ensuring industrial harmony for the good of the nation. This is a refinery, Your Excellencies, Your Royal Highnesses, Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen,” he stated.
Refinery Debt and National Position
Shettima reminded the audience that the Dangote refinery project was financed through “a mix of equity investments, debt financing, and loans obtained from both local and foreign banks.” Therefore, the refinery must function to service this debt. “We cannot hold the whole nation to ransom for some issues that we can amicably settle across the table,” he asserted, adding that his position “reflects the true position of President Bola Tinubu” and “the Nigerian people.”
Economic Consequences of the Strike
The remarks came as the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited reported on October 2 on projected revenue losses due to the suspended PENGASSAN strike, citing deferred production, missed liftings, and reduced gas sales.
Earlier on Monday, Bayo Ojulari, Group Chief Executive Officer (GCEO) of NNPC, also linked the recent rise in the price of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), or cooking gas, to the union’s recent strike.
Follow the Neptune Prime channel on WhatsApp:
Do you have breaking news, interview request, opinion, suggestion, or want your event covered? Email us at neptuneprime2233@gmail.com
