By Peter Onyekachukwu 
By Peter Onyekachukwu
The Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) on Saturday directed its members in key oil and gas companies to halt the supply of crude oil and gas to Dangote Refinery.
The directive, contained in a circular signed by the union’s General Secretary, Lumumba Okugbawa, was issued after an emergency meeting of PENGASSAN leadership following the alleged dismissal of its members by the refinery.
Affected companies where members must enforce the order include TotalEnergies, Chevron, Seplat, Shell Nigeria Gas, Oando, Renaissance, and the Nigerian Gas Infrastructure Company (NGIC).
The union accused Dangote Refinery of withdrawing staff buses belonging to its members, denying them access to the facility, while granting expatriates entry. It threatened to picket the refinery if the issue remained unresolved.
In response, Dangote Refinery dismissed claims of mass layoffs, insisting that only a small number of workers were affected by a reorganisation aimed at curbing sabotage. The company said over 3,000 Nigerians remain in employment.
Unimpressed by the explanation, PENGASSAN described the refinery’s actions as “illegitimate,” accusing management of spreading misinformation instead of engaging in dialogue with the union.
It therefore instructed branch chairmen to immediately shut crude oil supply valves, cut gas deliveries, and halt vessel loading operations headed to the refinery. NGIC’s branch chairman was specifically directed to ensure strict compliance.
Reaffirming its stance, PENGASSAN concluded its directive with its solidarity slogan: “Injury to one, injury to all.”