The standoff between the Dangote Petroleum Refinery and the Nigerian Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers, NUPENG, has escalated, with Dangote challenging the union to expose those responsible for the reported $18 billion sunk into government-owned refineries without producing results.
In a statement, the refinery questioned why the Port Harcourt, Warri, and Kaduna plants remain dormant despite decades of promises and billions spent on turnaround maintenance. Aliko Dangote recently lamented that successive governments poured approximately $18 billion into the facilities with nothing to show for it.
Amid allegations that the refinery has barred petroleum tanker drivers from joining NUPENG, Dangote reminded the union of its past opposition to the 2007 privatisation of the Port Harcourt and Kaduna refineries. The company said the union should now help Nigerians uncover what happened to the enormous public expenditure.
“We must begin to ask what has happened to all four FGN-owned refineries—Porth Harcourt, Warri and Kaduna. When Port Harcourt and Kaduna refineries were privatised to a consortium Dangote was a member of in 2007, the same NUPENG were amongst the town criers against the privatisation. To date, about $18bn has been wasted to rehabilitate the refineries without any success. Who are the people who spent all these humongous amounts without any result? Can NUPENG assist Nigerians to unravel this?” the company queried.
Responding to claims that it intends to monopolise the downstream sector through its direct fuel distribution scheme, the Dangote Group insisted its operations fall under a deregulated market overseen by the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority.
“Assertions of monopolistic intent are both legally and factually incorrect,” it added.
The Federal Ministry of Labour on Friday, September 12, convened another peace meeting at the Department of State Services, DSS, office in Abuja after the collapse of a truce earlier in the week. Alhaji Sayyu Dantata of MRS Oil represented Dangote, while NUPENG’s leadership was led by its president, Williams Akporeha.
After the session, Akporeha disclosed that both parties were directed to stick to the memorandum of understanding signed on Tuesday.
“The meeting has ended. The status of the communique must be maintained by all parties,” he said.
The renewed friction came after NUPENG accused the refinery of breaching Tuesday’s agreement by instructing drivers on Friday to remove NUPENG stickers from trucks and replace them with those of the newly created Direct Trucking Company Drivers Association, allegedly set up by management.
In protest, the union blocked the refinery’s entrance, halting fuel loading. It accused Dangote of sowing division within its Petroleum Tanker Drivers branch, resisting workers’ rights to unionise, and attempting to undermine NUPENG with falsehoods.
In a statement signed by Akporeha and General Secretary Afolabi Olawale, the union described Dangote’s earlier press release as an epitome of unconscionable capitalist falsehood aimed at hoodwinking Nigerians and crushing NUPENG.
It also warned Nigerians against accepting the refinery’s Greek gift of free nationwide fuel delivery, alleging it was designed to stifle competition and weaken the union.
The group called on Nigerians and the international community to resist any move to strip workers of their right to association, adding that its leaders must not be victimised in the struggle.
But Dangote’s spokesperson, Anthony Chiejina, dismissed the accusations, insisting the company respects labour rights. He stressed that the refinery’s deployment of new compressed natural gas-powered trucks is not linked to any anti-union agenda. According to him, employees remain free to affiliate with any recognised trade union.
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