Dangote Refinery has reacted to the directive of PENGASSAN that all members should down tools from Monday, September 29, accusing the union of plotting to deny Nigerians access to petrol, diesel and cooking gas.
In a statement at the weekend, the Dangote said, “Apart from the lawlessness and criminality inherent in the PENGASSAN’s instruction to its branches, the association’s directive amounts to economic sabotage at multiple levels. In plain language, PENGASSAN has directed its branches to disrupt and stop the supply of petroleum products from the Dangote refinery to Nigerians.
“The products that would be disrupted and stopped include but are not limited to aviation fuel, petrol, kerosene, diesel and cooking gas—all products that are used and required by all stripes of Nigerians and persons living in Nigeria, whether high and mighty or lowly and ordinary. In what circumstance would it be justified for PENGASSAN to so disrupt and introduce insufferable hardship into the living conditions of Nigerians? None that we can see.”
“Absolutely no law gives PENGASSAN the right to direct its branches to ‘cut off’ gas and crude oil supplies to Dangote Refinery or at all. There is also no law in our statute books that would support or enable the PENGASSAN branches having to cut off gas and crude oil supplies to Dangote Refinery or at all.
“Besides, it constitutes criminal conduct for PENGASSAN or its members to disrupt and/or interfere in any way whatsoever with the contract between Dangote Refinery and its various vendors for the supply of gas and crude oil to the refinery. These supply contracts were not entered into with PENGASSAN; they were entered into by Dangote refinery with third-party vendors and suppliers, and PENGASSAN has no right whatsoever to disrupt and/or interfere with the performance of those contracts,” it was stated.
“Perhaps, PENGASSAN needs to be reminded that Nigeria is a country governed by laws. Our laws do not brook self-help and mob action that could introduce mayhem and chaos and easily translate into anarchy.
“It is instructive that no sooner had the association issued a press release than it abandoned the path of lawfulness and embraced criminal conduct and the path that leads to mayhem and anarchy by issuing the directive aforementioned,” the statement alleged.
Dangote refinery described the directive as economic sabotage against both Nigerians and the state, asking in whose interest and on whose behalf PENGASSAN is “directing and intending to inflict such anarchic and criminal disruption upon the Nigerian society and persons living in Nigeria.”
“This is also economic sabotage against the Nigerian state at multiple levels. Dangote refinery is the only refinery of its type in Africa and ordinarily should be the pride of all Nigerians as well as the government of Nigeria. It should ordinarily have special protection and status and indeed qualifies as a strategic national asset,” the statement said.
