The Alliance of Northern Development has condemned the recent directive by the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) to cut crude oil and gas supply to the Dangote Refinery.
The group accused PENGASSAN of adding to the hardship of Nigerians already suffocating under harsh economic outcomes.
A statement by the Alliance of Northern Development chairman, Nasiru Jagaba, said the move is not about workers’ rights but a calculated sabotage against Nigeria’s quest for cheaper fuel, economic growth, and energy independence.
According to the group, PENGASSAN has chosen to align with the fuel importers’ cartel, which is desperate to protect its decades-long monopoly.
“These vested interests, who thrived under the corrupt subsidy regime, fear the success of the Dangote Refinery because it threatens their stranglehold on Nigeria’s economy. “PENGASSAN is not fighting for workers; they are fighting for fuel import cartels.
“Over 3,000 Nigerians are currently employed at the Dangote Refinery, with thousands more benefiting indirectly. By ordering a supply cut, PENGASSAN is directly attacking Nigerian jobs, livelihoods, and the hope of reduced fuel prices.
“This is nothing short of economic blackmail. At a time when Nigerians are yearning for relief, PENGASSAN has placed itself on the side of profiteers and against the masses.
“Every attempt to cripple Dangote Refinery is an attempt to keep Nigerians in perpetual hardship. “We make it clear: if PENGASSAN continues on this path, Nigerians will not hesitate to occupy the streets in protest. No union has the right to mortgage the nation’s future to a few selfish interests,” Nasiru stated.
The group urged the federal government to act decisively to protect the Dangote Refinery and ensure uninterrupted operations.
They called on civil society, labour groups, and ordinary citizens to resist PENGASSAN’s attempt to sabotage Nigeria’s progress and tasked the media with ” shining a light on this betrayal and exposing the union’s alignment with fuel import cartels.”
