Dangote Refinery slams PENGASSAN, TUC, says unions chasing dues not workers’ welfare

Dangote Petroleum Refinery has launched a blistering attack on the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC), accusing the two unions of pursuing union dues and personal interests rather than the welfare of workers.

The company’s reaction followed threats of nationwide industrial action by the unions against its management. In a strongly worded statement issued on Monday, the refinery described the TUC as “zombie-like” for declaring solidarity with PENGASSAN without verifying claims against the refinery.

“We are told that he who hears only from one side and passes judgment without hearing the other side is a fool. Unfortunately, the Trade Union Congress has placed itself in that position. Without hearing from Dangote Refinery, the Congress has passed a guilty verdict on the Refinery’s management and now parrots the PENGASSAN line, zombie-like,” the statement read.

The refinery alleged that the real motivation behind the threats is union dues, pointing to comments by PENGASSAN President Festus Osifo who, during a Channels Television interview, admitted that the union had written to Dangote Refinery demanding check-off remittances less than 24 hours after workers allegedly unionised.

“The PENGASSAN oligarchs could not even wait for 24 hours after the purported unionisation before demanding their monthly check-off dues. On account of these dues, PENGASSAN and its collaborators, including TUC, are ready to plunge Nigeria into darkness and anarchy,” the company charged.

It further accused the unions, including NUPENG, of funding “lavish and opulent lifestyles” with workers’ contributions while failing to provide accountability.

“None of these unions bothers to give an account of the monthly dues collected from workers. Nigerians only see the proof in their extravagant lifestyles. It is time Nigerians stood up against these enemies of progress,” it said.

The refinery urged the Federal Government to resist what it described as attempts by labour leaders to drag the country back to “the dark ages” of energy insecurity and industrial sabotage.

Describing itself as a “national asset that requires collective protection,” the refinery challenged PENGASSAN, TUC and NUPENG to publish their 10-year audited accounts in the interest of transparency.