MANUFACTURERS Association of Nigeria (MAN) has condemned the strike declared by Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) over its feud with the Dangote Refinery, which has led to a significant shut down of Nigeria’s economy.
The group said while PENGASSAN could fight for workers’ rights, it had no right to ground the nation’s economy.
Its Director-General, Segun Ajayi-Kadir, made the association’s position known on Tuesday, September 30, while reacting to the impact of the ongoing industrial dispute on the overall economy.
“The attack on Dangote Refinery is unconscionable, it is unreasonable and should be condemned by everyone. It appears the vultures are gathering to devour what should be a jewel of Nigerian manufacturing. This shouldn’t be allowed to go on further.”
He added: “There’s no way I will build a factory of $20 billion and I will allow it to be decimated. If there’s a labour issue you have with the refinery, deal with it. There are processes of law in dealing with it, and you have chosen to shut down the country because of disagreements. This is wrong.”
He urged PENGASSAN not to shut down the economy, warning that it would disincentivise private sector investment in the economy.
The ICIR reports that PENGASSAN and Dangote Refinery have been at daggers drawn following the alleged laying off of union members by the refinery management.
The union, in a statement on Thursday, September 25, signed by Abdullahi Muhammed, the refinery’s branch chairman, and Eseoghene Choice, the branch secretary, said the workers who voluntarily joined the union body had received an email terminating their appointments.
It added that the dismissals came after the successful unionisation of the refinery’s workers, the appointment of the caretaker committee of the branch executive council and submission of batch one of the unionised members’ list to management.
Meanwhile, the Federal Government’s efforts to broker peace between the refinery’s management and PENGASSAN over the alleged mass sack of union members ended in a deadlock on Monday night.
The ICIR reports that the meeting, which commenced at about 3:50 p.m. at the Minister of Labour and Employment’s Conference Hall in Abuja, stretched into the late hours.
Informed sources said talks were expected to resume at 2 p.m. Tuesday, September 30.
Harrison Edeh is a journalist with the International Centre for Investigative Reporting, always determined to drive advocacy for good governance through holding public officials and businesses accountable.