Senator Adams Oshiomhole (APC–Edo North) has faulted the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) for shutting down government-owned oil agencies in protest over alleged mass sackings at the Dangote Refinery.
Appearing on The Morning Show on Arise News Television on Friday, the former president of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) argued that while the rights of workers must be upheld, extending the industrial action to cripple critical state institutions was an “overreach.”
PENGASSAN had on Monday directed members to withdraw services following the alleged dismissal of about 800 refinery staff, a move that forced the closure of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), and the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) offices in Abuja.
The shutdown immediately triggered fuel queues nationwide, raising concerns over potential economic disruption.
Oshiomhole, who once led the NLC, said the union’s escalation risked hurting millions of Nigerians and threatening the jobs of workers in government oil institutions who had no direct stake in the refinery dispute.
“What I’m not sure is right is the ease with which PENGASSAN resorted to escalating the matter to the secondary level—what we call secondary solidarity—to the point of shutting down the oil sector,” he said.
The senator warned that while solidarity actions are legitimate in labour struggles, unions must balance their advocacy with national interest. He urged dialogue between PENGASSAN, the federal government, and Dangote Refinery management to resolve the matter without further economic strain.
The standoff has heightened calls from stakeholders for urgent government intervention to avert prolonged fuel scarcity and safeguard Nigeria’s already fragile energy sector.
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