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Says Dangote Not an Individual
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Accuses PENGASSAN of Holding Country at Ransom
- Safiu Kehinde
Nigerian Vice President, Kashim Shettima, has faulted last week’s strike action by the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) against Dangote refinery, accusing the union of holding the country at ransom.
NPO Reported that PENGASSAN had last week embarked on the industrial action over Dangote’s alleged sacking of 800 workers for their membership with the union.
Coupled with the strike, the union had ordered the stoppage of crude and gas supply to the refinery which halted its production.
While the dispute between both parties had since being resolved following the Federal Government’s intervention, Shettima expressed his displeasure with PENGASSAN’s action.
The Vice President had in his address at the 31st Nigerian Economic Summit Group’s (NESG) annual summit held on Monday declared that nobody is greater than the nation, including PENGASSAN.
He called for caution and deeper sense of responsibility from labour union and organised private sector.
“I wish to call for caution, retrospection, and a deeper sense of patriotism from both the labour and organised private sector in defining and improving relationship between labour and industry, in the interest of maintaining our steadily improving economy.
“It’s not about holding the whole nation to ransom because of a minor labour dispute. Nigeria is greater than PENGASSAN. Nigeria is greater than each and every one of us.
“I’m not coming to you as a partisan. I’m coming to you as a patriot in search of solution to our national challenges.” Shettima said.
The Vice President tasked NESG to also take active interest in the issue involving labour unions and industries.
“I wish to re-emphasize that the government is hereby tasking the Nigerian Economic Summit Group in taking more than a passive interest in the matter.
“The government will be expecting recommendation from the NESG in addressing this issue even as the government is also taking steps.” He said.
Prior to that, Shettima described Dangote as an institution which must be protected and promoted rather than being unjustly treated.
He held that the Nigerian billionaire and Africa’s richest man would have had a net worth of $70 to $80 billion if he had invested in foreign tech companies like Microsoft, Amazon, and Google, rather than Nigeria.
“I want to dwell on a topic and issue that is very dear to the heart of every Nigeria. Aliko Dangote is not an individual. He is an institution.
“He is a leading light in Nigeria’s economy. And how we treat this gentleman will determine how outsiders will judge us.
“If he had invested $10 billion in Microsoft, Amazon, Google, probably he might be worth $70 to $80 billion by now.
“But he opted to invest in his country, and we owe it to future generations to jealously protect, promote, preserve, and project the interest of this great Nigeria.” The Vice President stated.