Dangote Refinery: Reaction Trails Court Order Stopping PENGASSAN’s Strike
- A coalition of civil society groups has praised the National Industrial Court for halting the planned PENGASSAN strike against the Dangote Refinery
- The coalition described the interim order as a win for the rule of law and urged the union to pursue dialogue instead of confrontation
- CODER also warned that disrupting the refinery could harm Nigeria’s economy and employment creation
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Abuja, FCT - A coalition of civil society organisations has welcomed a ruling by the National Industrial Court stopping the planned strike by the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) against the Dangote Refinery.
The Coalition for the Defence of Economic Rights (CODER) described Monday’s interim order as a “victory for the rule of law and economic stability.”
Source: UGC
The group, in a statement made available to Legit.ng, urged all parties to respect the decision and allow the case to run its course.
“We hail the decision of the court under Justice Emmanuel Sublim to stop the strike and preserve the integrity of our economy,” CODER President Babajide Oresanya said in a statement after an emergency meeting late on Monday, September 29.
PENGASSAN warned against crippling key infrastructure
Oresanya warned that the planned industrial action, which sought to cut crude oil and gas supplies to the refinery, would have inflicted “incalculable damage” on Nigerians’ livelihoods.
He said:
“The refinery is not just a private enterprise; it is a strategic national asset with implications for energy security, job creation, and the wider economy. To hold it hostage for union politics is unacceptable."
PENGASSAN urged to embrace dialogue
The coalition urged PENGASSAN to retrace its steps and engage in constructive dialogue. It commended the federal government for intervening swiftly through meetings with the union and regulators, including the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited and the petroleum regulatory commissions.
“The court has spoken. Any attempt to flout this order would amount to contempt and could further escalate the situation. Nigerians are watching, and what the country needs at this moment is stability, not conflict,” Oresanya added.
Meanwhile, CODER expressed concern that PENGASSAN’s allegations against the refinery could derail efforts to achieve energy sufficiency.
“Independent investigations have shown that the Dangote Refinery has been a net creator of jobs. Rather than peddling unsubstantiated allegations, the union should support the refinery to deliver optimally and reduce dependence on imports,” the group said.
CODER urged calm and confidence in the judicial process as the substantive case is due for hearing on October 13.
Legit.ng gathers that the National Industrial Court had earlier on Monday granted Dangote Refinery’s application for an interim order, ruling that a strike could cause irreparable harm to the economy.
Justice Sublim directed all parties to maintain the status quo pending the hearing.
Source: UGC
Dangote Refinery vs PENGASSAN: Peter Obi reacts
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that Peter Obi called on the federal government to immediately intervene in the dispute between Dangote Refinery and PENGASSAN, saying that the situation had started having an "adverse effect" on Nigerians and the country's economy.
PENGASSAN recently ordered its members across the country to shut down operations over the allegation that Dangote Refinery sacked 500 of its Nigerian workers and replaced them with Indians.
Obi, reacting in a social media post on Monday, September 29, appealed for the immediate intervention of the federal government on the dispute between the union and the private company, Dangote Refinery.
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Source: Legit.ng
