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Former President of the Nigerian Labor Congress (NLC) and Senator who served, Adams Oshomhole, had blamed the Nigerian Senior Oil and Gas Staff Association (Pengassan) for increasing his dispute with the dangote refinery into the closing of national oil facilities, which warned that the move was a hurry, wrong direction, and one that was not resolved.
Speaking during an interview with Arise television on Friday, Oshiomhole said that while trade unions had constitutional rights to protect their members, the action must be measured and should not impose unnecessary difficulties on the wider public.
“I think in an effort to protect a series of certain workers, you do not risk the work of several other workers. When you pursue disputes, the tools you use must be such that they do not damage the work of others,” he said.
He criticized the union decision to close the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC) and other companies for disagreement that only involved dangote refineries.
“I suddenly watched a long queue at the filling station and people came to me to ask, ‘Why don’t we work today, what happens to the oil industry?’ And the reason is that Pengassan has decided that NNPC was closed, several other companies were closed, all because of problems in one refinery, “recalls Oshomhole.
Drawing from his experience as President of the NLC, Oshomhole stressed that disputes must be directed at certain employers involved, rather than dragging unrelated companies and industries.
“We have a big battle with the Union Bank of Nigeria for their policies about married couples working together. But even when we have the capacity to close all banks, we do not. We recognize that the alleged violations of union banks cannot be said to apply for others,” he recalls.
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He further warned of the union’s actions that cause damage to guarantees to innocent citizens and small businesses.
“In pursuing war, you must realize that the tools you use should not hurt innocent people, such as tomato sellers who cannot get fuel to move their goods because there is a fight between one refinery and one union,” Oshiomhole said.
While emphasizing that freedom of association remains sacred, he emphasized that entrepreneurs and employees must act responsibly.
“Freedom of association is not only a constitutional right, it is the right given by God. But with that freedom of responsibility, both employers and employees must use their rights in a fair way,” he said.
Senator also urged trade unions to provide new investors such as dangote group time to stabilize operations before subduing them at intense industrial pressure.
“A employer must be there, mature and strong enough to guarantee good salary work. If you paralyze the business before that even find his feet, you also destroy the work you claim to protect,” he warned.
Assigned in May 2023 by former President Muhammadu Buhari, 650,000 barrels of Dangote refineries are the largest single train refineries in Africa.
Last month, Pengassan directed members to close the national operation as a protest against alleged anti-employment practices at the refinery. The strike triggered a fuel queue in several states and received criticism from government officials and industrial players, who warned that the disturbance could worsen the fragile Nigerian energy supply chain.
