‘Avoid inciting division’ — Ndume asks NUPENG to dialogue with Dangote refinery

Ali Ndume, former senate leader, has urged the ministry of petroleum resources and the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) to take a firm interest in the rift between Dangote refinery and the Nigerian Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) to prevent disruptions in product distribution.

The warning followed an industrial action by NUPENG on September 8 over the alleged refusal of Dangote refinery to allow its truck drivers to join the union.

Dangote refinery denied the claims.

On September 9, NUPENG suspended the strike.

Also, on September 16, DAPPMAN accused the refinery of stifling competition by selling products cheaper to international traders than to local marketers.

In a statement issued on Wednesday, Ndume urged the stakeholders to avoid inciting division and power tussles that affect Nigerians.

“I urge NUPENG, PENGASSAN, and all concerned stakeholders to engage in constructive dialogue with Dangote rather than inciting division and undue sensationalism in the media,” he added.

“Our common goal should be to balance labour rights with the imperatives of national development and not put ordinary citizens at the receiving end of a needless power tussle.”

Also, Ndume expressed concern over what he described as “a poisonous media narrative to paint Dangote in bad light in the eyes of Nigerians and the international community”.

While calling for caution, the senator recalled the failed attempts by past administrations to encourage private operators to build refineries, saying many only took advantage of crude oil allocations without making tangible efforts.

“Before Dangote took the risk to build his refinery, previous administrations had granted licences to many Nigerians. What did they do with it? Some of them only cashed on the incentives of crude oil allocation,” Ndume said.

“If my memory serves me right, licences were granted to 12 private operators as far back as 2002 to build refineries and reduce dependence on imported fuel.

“The second round of licences was done in 2007 by the then Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) after revoking the first batch and granting nine new licences to private investors.

“Those parading themselves as fuel importers today didn’t seize the initiative to come together to build refineries. Again, during the Muhammadu Buhari administration, licences were granted to private investors to build modular refineries.

“How many of them actually scratched the surface but they are ganging up to falsely accuse Dangote of monopolising the market.”

Ndume, who represents Borno south, faulted the claims of monopoly, saying the federal government, in line with the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA), has taken steps to ensure deregulation and healthy competition.

“It is wrong to talk about monopoly in a deregulated industry,” he said.

Ndume added that there are no deliberate bottlenecks against anyone and no industry player has been accorded a special concession to the detriment of others.