THE House of Representatives has directed its Committee on Petroleum Resources (Downstream) to intervene in the ongoing industrial dispute between the Dangote Petroleum Refinery and the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN).
The committee, chaired by Ikenga Ugochinyere, urged PENGASSAN to withdraw its directive halting crude oil and gas supply to the refinery, allowing room for dialogue.
In a statement issued on Saturday, September 27, Ugochinyere said the union’s action could destabilise the downstream sector, frighten potential investors, and cause disruptions in the supply of petroleum products.
“The House of Representatives Committee on downstream petroleum resources disagrees with PENGASSAN’s order to stop gas and crude supply to the Dangote refinery without exhausting the dispute resolution processes provided in labour laws,” he said.
Ugochinyere explained that the committee had established channels of engagement with key industry players, including the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG), and the Ministry of Labour.
He noted that a subcommittee chaired by Akin Rotimi, with Midala Usman, Billy Osawaru, and Mathew Nwaogu as members, had been set up to harmonise positions on the dispute. The subcommittee is expected to submit its findings within 14 days.
According to him, the intervention would focus on issues relating to union rights, alleged retrenchments, and the powers of private companies to manage their workforce in line with productivity demands.
“We call on PENGASSAN to return to the table for direct talks presided over by the committee, regulators and relevant stakeholders to reach a sustainable solution,” he said.
The legislative intervention comes amid escalating labour action. On Saturday, PENGASSAN’s National Executive Council (NEC) ordered members nationwide to withdraw services following what it described as the unlawful dismissal of over 800 Nigerian employees by the refinery.
The NEC accused the company of violating labour laws and International Labour Organisation (ILO) conventions by sacking unionised workers and replacing them with more than 2,000 foreign nationals.
The circular, signed by General Secretary Lumumba Okugbawa, instructed members across field locations to stop work from the morning of Sunday, September 28. It also ordered a total shutdown across offices, institutions, and oil facilities from Monday, September 29. In addition, branches were directed to cut crude and gas supply lines to the refinery, with international oil companies asked to suspend shipments destined for the plant.
“No man is bigger than our country,” the NEC declared, insisting that the strike would continue until the dismissed workers were reinstated.
In its response, Dangote Petroleum Refinery described the union’s directive as reckless and illegal. The company said supply contracts with gas and crude vendors were not subject to interference by PENGASSAN and warned that the disruption could trigger scarcity of essential products such as petrol, diesel, aviation fuel and cooking gas.
“PENGASSAN has no legal right to disrupt or interfere with the refinery’s contractual obligations,” the company stated. It argued that Nigeria is governed by law, and the union’s action amounted to “criminal interference” that could plunge the country into economic instability.
The refinery also accused PENGASSAN of economic sabotage and spreading misinformation. It urged the Federal Government and security agencies to intervene, stressing that continued disruption could harm state and federal revenues as well as ordinary citizens who rely on fuel for daily activities.
The latest face-off follows similar clashes earlier in September when NUPENG accused the refinery of reneging on an agreement to recognise workers’ rights to unionise.
The ICIR reported that NUPENG had suspended a nationwide strike only after a deal was reached at a meeting convened by the Department of State Services (DSS), attended by the Minister of Finance, Wale Edun, and the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC).
At that meeting, the refinery reportedly agreed to respect unionisation rights. However, NUPENG later alleged that the company backtracked, ordering the removal of union stickers from trucks and failing to honour its commitments. The union threatened to resume its strike, warning against the use of security agents to suppress workers’ rights.
The refinery has consistently maintained that its actions are in line with labour laws and productivity requirements, while unions argue that its approach undermines Nigerian workers and prioritises foreign staff.
With both sides holding firm, the House committee stressed the need for negotiation and alternative dispute resolution. “While we acknowledge the concerns of PENGASSAN, the decision to halt gas supply is hasty and will have a multiplier effect on Nigeria’s energy needs and investment climate,” Ugochinyere said.
The committee also called on all parties to submit detailed information on the dispute and warned that disruptions at the country’s largest refinery could worsen hardship for Nigerians.
A reporter with the ICIR
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