PENGASSAN Directs Members to Cut Gas Supply to Dangote Refinery

The Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) has directed its members to cut gas supply to the Dangote refinery.

On September 26, the association said the refinery laid off some of its staff members, noting that the group was working to “resolve” the issue.

Subsequently, the Dangote refinery confirmed sacking some workers, saying that “only a small number were affected” in what it described as a reorganisation exercise.

Following the announcement, PENGASSAN urged the management of the refinery “to recall all terminated Nigerian workers”.

In a statement on Friday, Lumumba Okugbawa, general secretary of PENGASSAN, accused the refinery of disengaging its members in reaction to the exercise of their constitutional right to be unionised.

“They have gone further on a mission of misinformation and propaganda to justify this illegitimacy rather than engaging meaningfully with us to right the wrong,” the statement reads.

“Consequent to these, you hereby directed to cut off gas supply to NGIC effective immediately.”

The union directed all crude oil supply valves to the refinery to be shut, instructing that the loading operation “for vessel headed there should be halted immediately”.

“NGIC Chairman, ensure that gas supply to the Refinery is cut off effective immediately,” PENGASSAN said.

The union urged all chairpersons affected by the directive to promptly report the progress of their actions.