PENGASSAN and NUPENG Urged to Build Private Refinery Using Members’ Check-Off Dues Amid Dangote Dispute
The Stand-Up South South Security Group has called on Nigeria’s petroleum labor unions, the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) and the National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG), to consider building a private refinery using accrued members’ check-off dues. The group’s recommendation comes in the wake of an ongoing dispute between the unions and Dangote Refinery over worker unionization and the payment of union dues.
In a statement released Monday, Comrade Endurance Ukutegbere, National Secretary of the security group, highlighted that both unions, founded in 1977 and 1978 respectively, have been collecting check-off dues from members for decades. He suggested that pooling these funds could enable the unions to establish their own refinery, particularly in the oil-rich South South region, instead of relying solely on government-owned facilities that have remained largely non-operational.
The group also criticized the Federal Government and the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) for the poor performance of public refineries, despite the involvement of PENGASSAN members in operations and maintenance. “Both PENGASSAN and NUPENG have been collecting dues since inception, and if properly harnessed, these funds could have built a refinery by now,” Ukutegbere stated, urging the unions to consider obtaining a federal license for private refinery operations.
Acknowledging private sector efforts, the statement applauded investors such as Alhaji Aliko Dangote for building modular refineries, including the world’s largest single-train refinery in Lagos State. The group emphasized that a private refinery owned by PENGASSAN and NUPENG could create employment, reduce reliance on imported refined products, and provide long-term economic benefits to Nigeria.
Finally, the Stand-Up South South Security Group urged union leaders to focus on constructive solutions rather than disputes with Dangote Refinery. It called for advocacy with the government to revive public refineries in Port Harcourt, Warri, and Kaduna, stressing that collaboration among Nigerians is essential to building a sustainable energy sector for future generations.
Source: The nation