NYAN Condemns PENGASSAN’s Economic Sabotage, Urges Protection of National Assets
The Northern Youth Assembly of Nigeria (NYAN) has expressed serious concern over recent actions by the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN).
NYAN in a statement issued on Thursday by Rt. Hon. I.M. Lawal (Dubagari Jr.) Speaker, considers these actions to have exceeded the legitimate scope of trade unionism and to verge dangerously on economic sabotage.
Global Times Nigeria reports that PENGASSAN had initiated a nationwide strike, instructing its members to cut off crude oil and gas supplies to the Dangote Refinery.
This move followed the refinery’s restructuring, which included the sacking of 800 workers, some of whom were union members. PENGASSAN’s actions have disrupted gas supplies and operations at critical oil and gas facilities, causing a significant drop in national power generation and widespread gas shortages.
“This disruption affected power supply enough to reduce generation by about 1,000 MW, impacting millions of homes and people.”
While NYAN recognizes and respects workers’ constitutional rights to unionize and advocate for improved welfare, we strongly condemn any attempts to exploit these platforms as tools for proxy political battles or industrial blackmail against vital national economic institutions.
Nigeria is currently experiencing a fragile economic recovery, and any action that could disrupt the operations of strategic assets, such as the Dangote Refinery, should be regarded as a direct threat to national stability and security.
The alleged plans to target or obstruct the refinery’s operations represent a dangerous trend that must be addressed with the utmost caution and seriousness by all relevant authorities.
The Dangote Industries stands as a symbol of industrial hope and economic sovereignty for our nation a project with the potential to significantly reduce dependence on imported fuel, create thousands of jobs, and strengthen the naira. Undermining its operations in any way is not only unpatriotic but also detrimental to the people.
We therefore urge the PENGASSAN leadership to return to the path of patriotism. We also call on the Federal Government and security agencies to ensure that no individual or group holds the nation hostage under the guise of industrial activism.
Nigeria needs a moment to breathe. This is not the time for destructive confrontation but for collective responsibility to protect and rebuild our economy.
