Why NUPENG and PENGASSAN Must Stop Terrorising Nigerians

By Kunle Ayo

Recent actions by the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) and the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) in the oil and gas sector reveal a desperate attempt by certain actors to exploit Nigerians’ sensibilities, perpetuating lawlessness, economic sabotage, and threats to national security for the benefit of a few at the expense of the broader population.

It is an affront to Nigerians’ intelligence that NUPENG and PENGASSAN, historically complicit in the deliberate and egregious degeneration of the oil and gas sector, have long acted as enablers of self-interest. These unions have been directly implicated in decades of inflicting untold hardship on ordinary Nigerians through their neglect, complicity, and collaboration with enemies of the state. Their sudden posturing as defenders of workers’ rights—when their actions have contributed to the suffering of millions—is both hypocritical and insulting.

The recent decision by NUPENG and PENGASSAN to embark on strike action aligns with their persistent assault on the foundation of Nigeria’s economy, which President Tinubu’s administration is working tirelessly to revive. This calculated move seeks to drag the nation back to the dark days of fuel scarcity, economic instability, and national embarrassment, orchestrated by a handful of Nigerians and their foreign collaborators, with NUPENG and PENGASSAN as willing participants.

To call their actions detrimental to Nigeria’s social and economic progress is an understatement. The negative impact on social services is immense, as their strikes have led to the shutdown of thermal power plants, threatening to plunge the nation into physical and economic darkness. This cripples economic and social activities, placing millions of households and small businesses at a severe disadvantage.

NUPENG and PENGASSAN have made no secret of their self-serving intentions, prioritizing a culture of impunity, primitive wealth accumulation, monopoly, and destructive behavior over patriotism.

Their actions consistently place personal gain above the needs of the nation and its citizens, undermining Nigeria’s corporate existence, independence, and economic growth.

Under the guise of unionism and workers’ rights, NUPENG and PENGASSAN have chosen to inflict undue hardship on Nigerians, rejecting platforms for constructive dialogue. Their concerns are not genuine but rather mischievous, selfish, and treasonable, opting for self-help tactics that bring untold suffering to citizens and residents instead of pursuing collaborative solutions.

The federal government’s efforts to facilitate peaceful resolutions to these disputes have been rebuffed by NUPENG and PENGASSAN, who instead escalate their campaign to promote economic instability. Blinded by self-interest, they have failed to grasp the broader implications of their actions and refused to work toward solutions that benefit Nigerians.

Nigerians are neither fools nor gullible enough to fall for their deceptive tactics. The unions’ attempt to sell a false narrative about mass layoffs at Dangote Refinery is a fraud, mirroring their own duplicity. Their efforts to mislead Nigerians for selfish ends have failed. These misguided actors, driven by corrupt motives, remain insensitive to the decades of suffering caused by oil subsidy profiteers.

For years, NUPENG and PENGASSAN remained silent during fuel scarcity crises, ignoring the plight of Nigerians who were reduced to economic servitude in one of the world’s richest oil-producing nations. Yet, they now claim to champion workers’ rights at a time when fuel prices are stabilizing, the forex market is steady, the naira is strengthening against the dollar, and inflation is declining. They suddenly find fault when fuel is widely available, governors can pay salaries and pensions, and viable competition thrives in Nigeria’s upstream petroleum sector, attracting foreign investment due to economic stability.

How can any sincere labour union, concerned with the welfare of its members and the nation’s economic viability, remain silent when massive fraud is perpetrated by a few citizens in collaboration with foreign actors? Billions of dollars in Nigerian funds have been laundered under fictitious pretexts by union officials, and the fraudulent fuel subsidy scheme, orchestrated through a corrupt Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), has caused immense harm.

Yet, NUPENG and PENGASSAN now claim to fight for workers’ rights with a fabricated narrative.
NUPENG and PENGASSAN should be well aware of labor laws and their applications. They cannot claim ignorance that the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) does not compel staff of private universities to unionize, nor does the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) force workers at private transport companies like GUO or God is Good Motors to join its union.

Similarly, the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) does not mandate teachers in private schools to become members. Union membership is an individual’s private and exclusive right, not a mandatory or national obligation. How many times have NUPENG and PENGASSAN gone on strike to address the failures of Nigeria’s refineries despite billions spent, or to end the fuel subsidy scam?

NUPENG and PENGASSAN have no right to interfere in the internal administration of Dangote Refinery or any other private corporate entity. Their consistent role as saboteurs, aimed at derailing national progress, reveals them as stooges of sedition and terrorism. In a foolish attempt to serve their paymasters, they have declared war on the common man, making a mockery of themselves.
How does halting crude oil and gas supplies serve justice if workers are laid off?

Can self-help and blackmail assist affected staff or benefit ordinary Nigerians? Dialogue and legal avenues, not reckless actions, are the appropriate means to resolve disputes. Ironically, the processes NUPENG and PENGASSAN oppose are the very ones that have brought relief, alleviated suffering, and restored hope. These processes have stabilized fuel costs, promoted deregulation, reduced foreign interference in the oil and gas sector, and delivered numerous benefits.

We must echo the voice of Hon. Dr. Philip Agbese, Deputy Spokesperson of the Federal House of Representatives, who rightly declared this affront against Dangote Refinery as an attack on national security, the economy, and the common man. NUPENG and PENGASSAN must cease acting as tools of saboteurs to derail Nigeria’s progress. They must stop making a caricature of themselves, as times have changed, and a new era of accountability has begun.

The Dangote Refinery has come to stay, driving Nigeria’s economic independence and progress through its transformative impact on the oil and gas sector. Nigerians stand united in resolute support of this vital enterprise, rejecting the sabotage of self-serving actors posing as trade unionists. With the people’s backing, Dangote Refinery will prevail against these economic adversaries, securing a future of stability and prosperity.

*Ayo writes from Lagos

PIA Amendments: Group Vows Nationwide Protest Against FG’s Attempt to Sell Critical Assets

The National Rebirth Movement (NRM) has vowed to mobilise Nigerians for nationwide protests against what it described as a dangerous plot by the federal government to amend the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) and sell off critical national assets.

In a statement issued on Monday in Kaduna, Comrade James Jonah Gbudu, president of the movement, accused Finance Minister Wale Edun of spearheading moves that would strip the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) of its backbone and hand over the country’s oil wealth to cronies.

“These amendments are the handiwork of Wale Edun, who appears to think he will be in government forever. Nigerians must rise against this kind of individual mentality and the planned return of the Obasanjo/Atiku era that sold off critical national assets. This time, they want to sell everything to their friends and render the NNPCL naked,” Gbudu said.

The NRM president said the movement would not fold its arms while government policies mortgage the nation’s future. He described the PIA, passed into law in 2021 after two decades of delay, as one of the few reforms that provided a clear framework for the oil and gas sector.

The group said it believes President Bola Tinubu may not be aware of the move to amend the PIA and sell off public assets.

“It is barely four years since the PIA came into effect, and instead of strengthening it, this government wants to dismantle its safeguards. Our national oil company, which should be a source of pride and revenue for all Nigerians, is being targeted for stripping under the guise of reforms. We believe President Bola Tinubu may not be fully aware of the implications of this move, but Nigerians will not be passive while their future is auctioned,” he said.

Gbudu recalled how past privatisations failed to deliver value to citizens, saying they mainly enriched a few politically connected businessmen. He warned that repeating that pattern in the oil sector would deepen poverty and unemployment.

“The Obasanjo/Atiku era taught us bitter lessons. NEPA was sold, yet Nigerians are still in darkness. Refineries were left comatose while billions are spent on fuel imports. We will not allow another cycle of deception,” he declared.

Instead of amending the PIA to pave the way for asset sales, Gbudu urged the government to focus on transparency and accountability within the NNPCL.

“What Nigerians want is openness. We want to know the real figures, the contracts, the daily production, the inflows and outflows. That is what will build trust and efficiency. Selling off assets to friends of those in government will only deepen corruption and rob the country of future revenues,” he added.

The NRM leader said the group has begun consultations with civil society organisations, labour unions, student groups and community leaders to resist the proposed changes.

“We are ready to lead Nigerians to the streets if necessary. This is not just about oil, it is about the survival of our commonwealth. If they insist on amending the PIA to sell off our assets, we will mobilise nationwide protests,” Gbudu warned.

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