PENGASSAN-Dangote Dispute: Tinubu calls for caution, retrospection

President Bola Tinubu, has called for cautioned and retrospection over industrial dispute between the management of Dangote Petroleum Refinery and the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN).

Tinubu, represented by Vice-President Kashim Shettima, made the call at the 31 Nigerian Economic Summit (NES) organised by the Nigerian Economy Summit Group (NESG), on Monday in Abuja.

Our correspondent reports that the summit has as its theme “The Reform Imperative: Building a Prosperous and Inclusive Nigeria by 2030″.

He implored the NESG to come up with far reaching recommendations in addressing the issue, adding that government was also taken steps to protect big industry to guarantee industrial harmony for the good of the nation.

According to him, Aliko Dangote is not an individual; he is an institution and a leading light. If he has invested 10 billion dollars in Microsoft, Amazon, or Google, probably he will be worth 70 to 80 billion dollars by now.

”He opted to invest in his country, so we owe it to future generation to jealously protect, promote, preserve and project the interest of this great Nigerian.

”I wish to call for caution, retrospection and a deeper sense of patriotism from both the labour and the organised private sector in defining and improving relationship in the interest of maintaining our steady economic fortunes.”

The president also cautioned against holding the nation to ransom because of labour dispute.

”Nigeria is greater than PENGASSAN and every one of us here. I am not coming to you as partisan, but as a patriot in search of solution to our national challenges.

“This is a refinery that was finance through a combination of equity investment, debt finance and loans from local and foreign banks.

“The refinery therefore has to function to service the debt, and we cannot hold the country to ransom for some issues that we can amicably settle across the table,” he said.

Our correspondent recalls that the Federal Government recently brokered a truce between the PENGASSAN and the management of Dangote Petroleum Refinery.

PENGASSAN had directed its members to stop gas supply and withdraw services from the refinery, accusing the company of terminating the employment of more than 800 of its members

Dangote Refinery, however, explained that the disengagement of workers was due to an ongoing restructuring exercise in the company.