The Concerned Nigerian Consumers Forum has warned that the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) alleged plans to picket the Dangote Petroleum Refinery over alleged mass sackings may plunge Nigeria back into the dark era of fuel queues, black market exploitation, and national embarrassment.
The forum in statement signed by its president, Comrade Olabisi Taiwo, and secretary, Dr. Justice Akani, stressed it was deeply disappointed by PENGASSAN’s posture and rhetoric, adding that “The union’s actions and statements, if not carefully examined, risk plunging Nigeria back into the dark era of fuel queues, black market exploitation, and national embarrassment.”
According to the forum, the Dangote Refinery is not just another business venture but a national asset built with private capital, designed to solve a decades-long problem that successive governments failed to address.
Citing the refinery company’s statement, the forum highlighted that the reorganisation was necessitated by repeated acts of sabotage that posed safety risks and disrupted operations.
“This is not unusual in industrial settings. Every responsible management must act decisively to protect their assets and ensure operational efficiency.
“The refinery still employs over 3,000 Nigerians and continues to recruit through graduate trainee schemes and experienced hire programmes. This is not the profile of a company that is anti-labour or anti-Nigerian,” the forum maintained.
It affirmed that inciting public unrest and threatening picketing over unverified claims is allegedly “irresponsible” and contravenes international labour standards.
