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Former Senate leader Ali Ndume has urged stakeholders in the downstream Nigerian oil sector to unite and support each other rather than involved in conflict damage that could endanger the country’s economy.
Ndumed made a call as a response to the new tension between the management of Dangote Refinery and two main industrial groups: Nigerian Oil and Gas Workers Union (Nupeng) and the Marketing Association of Depot and Oil Oil Products (DAPPMAN).
In a statement released Wednesday, Ndume discussed industrial actions launched by Nupeng, which caused the closure of oil depots throughout the country. The union protest was triggered by the alleged rejection of Dangote Refinery to allow the truck drivers to join the trade union, a step that Nupeng claimed to violate the union law. Meanwhile, Dappman accused the refinery of trying to hinder competition by selling fuel at lower prices to international traders than to local marketers.
The State Service Department (DSS) stepped on to mediate, warning that the conflict is a national security threat.
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Ndume expressed his concern about what he called “the narrative of the poisonous media to paint dangote in bad light in the eyes of the Nigerians and the international community.”
He stressed the risks taken by Dangote to build their refineries, contrast with the previous administration which gave a refinery license but failed to act. “Before Dangote took the risk to build its refineries, the previous government had given a license to many Nigerians. What did they do with it? Some of them only set out the incentives of crude oil allocation,” Ndume said.
He remembers that “licenses are given to 12 private operators as far as 2002 to build refineries and reduce dependence on imported fuel.” He added that in 2007, the oil resource department pulled out the initial license and issued a new nine for private investors.
Ndume criticized the current fuel importer, saying, “Those who are paraded as fuel importers currently do not take the initiative to unite to build refineries.”
He also showed that during the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari, additional licenses for modular refineries were given to private investors, but “how many of them are truly scratching the surface but they are alleys with the wrong accusing Dangote of monopolizing the market.”
Senator refused a monopoly claim, saying, “It is wrong to talk about monopoly in the deregulation industry. There is no intentional congestion to anyone and no players are given special concessions to harm others.”
Ndume asked the regulatory agency, including the Ministry of Oil Resources and Midstream Nigeria and the downstream oil regulatory authority (NMDPRA), to enter and prevent increased feud.
He urged all parties, including Nupeng and the Nigerian Senior Oil and Gas Staff Association (Pengassan), to be involved in a dialogue rather than the fuel division. “I urge Nupeng, Pengassan, and all stakeholders who care to be involved in constructive dialogue with dangote rather than incitement of non -exposed divisions and sensationalism in the media,” Ndumed said.
“Our shared goal is to balance the rights of workers with the necessity of national development and not place ordinary citizens at the end of the unnecessary recipient of the power struggle.”
