Dangote Refinery has expressed appreciation to President Bola Tinubu for his swift intervention in resolving the recent industrial crisis involving the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN).
In a statement made available to Tribune Online, the refinery commended the president for his decisive role through his ministers and senior government officials, which led to what it described as ‘the abatement of the disruptive actions of PENGASSAN against the Refinery.’
The statement acknowledged the efforts of Nigeria’s security chiefs, including the National Security Adviser, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu; the Director General of the Department of State Services, Mr. Adeola Toyin Ajayi; and the Director General of the National Intelligence Agency, Mr. Mohammed Mohammed, for their roles in restoring ‘sanity and order to the energy subsector.’
It also recognised the commitment of the Honourable Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr. Mohammed Dingyadi; the Honourable Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Mr. Wale Edun; the Honourable Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Senator Abubakar Bagudu; and the Honourable Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Hon. Nkeiruka Onyejeocha, for their ‘patriotism and national service.’
‘To Nigerians of all walks of life, we owe you more than a debt of gratitude. Your support for our righteous cause was both humbling and overwhelming,’ the statement read, adding that the encouragement from the public ‘reinforced our belief in the Nigerian nation and people as the backbone of our enterprise.’
The refinery also extended appreciation to its employees for maintaining uninterrupted operations during the period of tension.
‘You proved your allegiance to our cause these several days even in the face of the provocative and inciting comments of and directives from detractors and naysayers,’ it stated, assuring that loyal workers ‘will continue to be handsomely rewarded and remunerated.’
While highlighting its contribution to national development, the company reaffirmed its status as ‘one of Nigeria’s model employers of labour and the largest private sector employer in the country as well as the largest contributor to Nigeria’s tax revenues.’
It emphasised that its compensation framework is aligned with international standards and designed to ‘reward performance, protect employee welfare, uphold dignity in labour and provide a safe and enabling workplace.’
Dangote Refinery also commended the Nigerian judiciary for what it described as its courageous stance in upholding the rule of law during the crisis.
‘They stood up for the truth and proved themselves as the bastion of hope for all of us,’ it said, condemning what it termed ‘the rascality and lawlessness’ of those who refused to honour court orders.
The refinery reaffirmed its dedication to the country, stating, ‘We would not relent in serving the Nigerian nation faithfully and diligently through the uninterrupted production of our petroleum products. Our commitment to the Nigerian nation and our pact with its people remain undiluted, undiminished and unalterable.’