A Northern-based group, Arewa Social Contract Initiatives, has accused the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association (PENGASSAN) of provoking economic sabotage with its call for a shutdown of crude and gas supplies to the Dangote Refinery.

The group also criticised the continued silence of key stakeholders, including religious and traditional leaders, on the lingering face-off between petroleum workers and the refinery.

Convener of the group, Sani Yusuf Adamu, at a press conference in Kano on Wednesday, expressed concern that PENGASSAN’s nationwide strike not only constitutes a security threat but deliberately aims to jeopardise the lifelines of ordinary Nigerians.

According to him, the Dangote Refinery is not just Africa’s largest refinery, with a 650,000-barrel-per-day production capacity; it was built to end Nigeria’s humiliating dependence on imported fuel.
“The success of Dangote Refinery directly translates to energy security, a stronger Naira, and an end to the corrupt fuel subsidy regime. Nigeria gained political independence from Britain 65 years ago.

“Yet, we remain slaves to international petroleum product importers and the crude oil cartels. The Dangote Refinery is our beacon of liberty—our chance to secure our economic independence and finally break the chains that have bound us to a cycle of poverty and dependency.
“The union has a documented history of blocking progressive reforms, including the sale of moribund refineries in 2007—a move that, had it succeeded, would have saved Nigeria decades of economic waste.

“The attack on Aliko Dangote—a Northern industrialist who has invested massively in the South—is a dangerous politicisation of a national asset. It seeks to divide us along regional lines and punish pan-Nigerian investment. We must see through this divisive tactic,” Adamu warned.

The group called for public accountability of alleged billions of naira collected by PENGASSAN from members, while urging the union to return to national dialogue.