Strike: Dangote, NUPENG talks deadlocked 

Prospects of the return of fuel queues loom as a marathon meeting convened by the Federal Government to resolve NUPENG’s strike against alleged Dangote Refinery’s anti- union practices ended in stalemate at dawn. The Federal Government, through the Ministry of Labour and Employment, yesterday convened the emergency meeting in a bid to end the planned industrial action on Monday in Abuja. The meeting aimed to address allegations of anti-union practices against the Dangote Refinery, but discussions reportedly  broke down as the Dangote representatives walkout of the meeting. The Minister of Labour and Employment, Alhaji Muhammad Dingyadi, who presided over the meeting, told newsmen that progress was slow. “We have not been able to reach final agreement on this matter. Negotiations will continue. “Maybe by tomorrow, we will resolve the issues. I appeal to everyone to maintain peace as discussions continue,” he said. The minister, therefore assured all, that the government is still committed to finding common ground for all parties. Speaking, Mr Benson Upah, Acting General Secretary of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), alleged that the Dangote’s delegation was deliberately sabotaging the process. “The representative of the Dangote Refinery walked out on the Honourable Minister and Organised Labour. So, there was no agreement. “Even, when we bent backwards to accommodate his uncompromising behaviour, he still did what he did. “So, we are left with no choice than to do the needful. The action continues,” Upah said. He added that the labour movement remained open to dialogue, but, could not negotiate alone. “It takes more than one party to reach a resolution. “Whenever the Dangote Refinery sees the need for genuine dialogue, we are ready, even this night, if they return,” he said. NUPENG President, Mr Williams Akporeha, accused Dangote Refinery of seeking to suppress workers’ rights, while expanding its monopoly in Nigeria’s energy sector. According to him, NUPENG’s action on the matter is for the interest of Nigerians. “We cannot stand an investor whose main purpose is to enslave Nigerians. “Dangote cannot take us back to the dark days of slavery.”he added. He further accused the refinery of denying employees the right to unionise. “Nigerians have wished him well. He should not enslave them. “He wants to monopolise the entire system and even the workers. This, we say, No to,” he said. 

Breaking: NUPENG, PENGASSAN write Tinubu, seek probe of alleged IOCs against Dangote Refinery

The Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers, NUPENG and its Petroleum and Natural and Senior Staff Association, PENGASSAN, have written to President Bola Tinubu, demanding a high powered investigation into the allegation that the International Oil Companies, IOCs, are plotting to undermine and destabilize the Dangote Refinery and Petrochemicals. In a written through the Chief of Staff to the President, Mr Femi Gbajabiamila, dated July 1, 2024, the oil workers demanded among others, that the findings of such investigation must be made public to ensure transparency and maintain public trust. The letter signed by the NUPENG’s General Secretary, Afolabi Olawale and his PENGASSAN’s counterpart, Lumumba Okugbawa, read “The leadership and members of our great Union and Association profoundly appreciate your commitment and dedication to restoring the economic growth and prosperity of our dear Nation and we are also fuly mobilized and committed to supporting al your laudable thoughts and hard decisions towards these lofty goals. “Unfortunately, we are deeply concerned and shocked by the recent unusual allegations by the Dangote Refinery and Petrochemicals Company of a deliberate plot by some International Oil Companies (IOCs) to frustrate their business efforts and continued existence. “These sabotaging actions reportedly include denying the Refinery crude oil supply and artificially inflating market prices of the crude oil to the Company, thereby forcing Dangote Refinery and Petrochemicals Company to source crude oil from other countries, even as far as the United States of America with attendant high operating costs and logistics. “The Dangote Refinery is not only a critical National asset but also a beacon of hope for our energy security, economic growth, and employment opportunities. The economic benefits of a Local Refinery with such capacity as the Dangote’s to Nigeria, can never be overstated. “This is why for several decades now, NUPENG and PENGASSAN have campaigned vigorously that Nigeria should make ti a pre-requisite condition that Companies that want to benefit from JVC arrangements with Nigeria, to set up a Refinery/Petrochemical Company ni Nigeria. “Unfortunately, no sucessive Governments summoned enough political and patriotic courage to take that logical and pragmatic policy direction. The survival of companies that have braved ti up and invested hugely ni refining crude ni Nigeria thus saving our Nation from wasteful product importations that profit other countries and cost us forex, should be of great interest to us as a Nation because of the enormous economic benefits involved. “Our demands are as follows: Immediate Investigation: The Federal Government should set up an independent panel ot investigate the claims of sabotage by some International Oli Companies. This investigation should be compreensive and transparent, ensuring that al parties involved are held accountable. “Public Disclosure: The findings of this investigation must be made public ot ensure transparency and maintain public trust. Nigerians deserve to know the truth about the actions of these International Oil Companies and the impact on our National interests. “Legal Action: Should the allegations be substantiated, we expect the Government to take decisive legal action against the entities involved. This must include sanctions, penalties, and any other measures necessary to deter future acts of economic sabotage. “Support for Dangote Refinery: The Government should provide al necessary support to ensure the uninterrupted commencement and operation of the Dangote Refinery. This includes ensuring security and stability around the Refinery’s operations. “Your Excellency Sir, we trust your courage and unwavering commitment to the Nigerian project and we believe that the Presidency wil take decisive action to safeguard the Dangote Refinery and ensure its successful operation for the benefit of our Nation.

Oil production falls below benchmark to 998.6bpd in April

Nigeria’s oil production in April 2023 fell below the one million mark – the lowest in seven months – as the production figure fell to 998,602 barrels per day (bpd). This is a 21.26 per cent decline compared to March, when output was 1,268,202 bpd. The Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) disclosed this in its latest crude oil and condensate production data for April 2023. The volume of production is at its lowest point in the last seven months. In the previous year, oil production fell below one million bpd in August and September owing to several issues, including oil theft. According to the NUPRC report, oil production decreased from 1.517 million bpd in March 2023 to 1.245 million bpd in April 2023, with the addition of condensate. Condensate is a mixture of light liquid hydrocarbons, similar to a light (high API) crude oil. It is usually separated from a natural gas stream at the point of production (field separation) when the temperature and pressure of the gas are dropped to atmospheric conditions. Speaking about the current oil output on Wednesday, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the NUPRC, Gbenga Komolafe, said that oil production is currently about one million bpd below “its technically allowable capacity”. Komolafe, who was represented by the Executive Commissioner for Economy, Regulatory, And Strategic Planning, NUPRC, Kelechi Ofoegbu, at a host communities sensitisation workshop, attributed the low oil production to a number of issues, including the energy transition’s impact on hydrocarbon funding, a lack of investments, and insecurity. “While the commission is prioritising efforts towards increasing oil and gas production and ensuring maximum federation revenue through the optimisation of the oil and gas value chain, the efforts have been constrained by a myriad of challenges. “These challenges range from insecurity, low investment, and de-prioritisation of funding of hydrocarbon development arising from the energy transition. “Currently, Nigeria has the technical allowable capacity to produce about 2.5 million barrels of oil per day. However, arising from the highlighted challenges, our current production hovers around 1.5 million barrels of oil and condensate per day,” he said.