Senator Ali Ndume has advised President Bola Tinubu to be decisive and sack the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN), if it continues to work against the public good.
The senator representing Borno South said this in reaction to the directive by PENGASSAN to its members to embark on a nationwide strike over the dismissal of over 800 workers by Dangote Petroleum Refinery.
The Management of Dangote Petroleum Refinery had said the industrial action embarked upon by the union was aimed at weaponising hardship against Nigerians.
Ndume, speaking on Arise Television, on Monday, said he was opposed to any unionism that prioritised the interest and benefits of a few individuals at the expense of the country and Nigerians.
“This PENGASSAN is supposed to serve the interest of Nigerians, and their profession has to do with petroleum products that affect everything.
“This is Nigeria, which is supposed to be a free country. You can’t force someone to be in the union,” the lawmaker said, criticising PENGASSAN for attempting to “impose demands” on Dangote Petroleum Refinery.
“Dangote is a private businessman who established a refinery. You can’t come and impose anything on a private individual. If you want to be a union, then stay out of Dangote,” he said.
Ndume also accused the PENGASSAN leadership of holding Nigerians “by the neck,” saying the workers do not own the oil or gas resources.
He questioned the union’s silence during critical moments in the oil sector, adding: “They are just workers. How can they be asking for more than the owners?
“Where were they when the subsidy was removed and the fuel price rose to ₦1000? Where were they when the refineries stopped working and we were depending on imports?”
He urged President Tinubu to take firm action and dissolve the union, adding: “The best thing is for the president to sign an Executive Order calling them off.
“He has the right to dissolve them. In this case, I don’t mind if he acts like a dictator because some situations require very drastic measures,” Ndume said.
