Oshiomhole Faults PENGASSAN Over Dangote Refinery Dispute

Former Edo State governor and ex-president of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Adams Oshiomhole, has criticised the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) for what he described as an unnecessary escalation of its dispute with Dangote Refinery.

Speaking against the backdrop of the recent industrial face-off, Oshiomhole faulted the union’s decision to halt the supply of gas and crude oil to the refinery, warning that such action risked undermining national economic stability. According to him, the union’s confrontational tactics were capable of inflicting broader harm on Nigerians at a time the country was banking on the multi-billion dollar refinery to ease fuel import dependence.

The standoff began when Dangote Refinery dismissed more than 800 workers, many of them PENGASSAN members.

The union accused the company of targeting employees for their attempts to unionise and responded by ordering a halt in crude and gas supplies to the facility.

This escalated into a nationwide strike threat, raising fears of fresh disruptions in Nigeria’s already fragile energy sector.

Government intervention helped to broker a temporary truce, leading PENGASSAN to suspend its strike earlier this week.

However, Oshiomhole, now a senator, argued that the union’s hardline stance during the conflict was avoidable. He urged labour leaders to balance the defence of workers’ rights with a sense of responsibility to the wider economy.

His remarks have stirred reactions within labour and political circles. While some stakeholders say Oshiomhole’s position reflects his experience both as a former unionist and a statesman, others contend that it downplays the alleged injustices faced by refinery workers.

With the truce still fragile and key issues unresolved, analysts warn that tensions between PENGASSAN and the refinery management could resurface if a sustainable compromise is not reached.