The House of Representatives Committee on Petroleum Resources (Downstream) has waded into the ongoing clash between Dangote Petroleum Refinery and the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) and the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN).
The oil unions and Dangote Refinery have recently been locked in a series of industrial disputes over unionisation, exacerbated by the termination of some workers’ employment.
The latest being the strike embarked upon by the trade unions today nationwide.
The Chairman of the Committee, Ikenga Imo Ugochinyere, said the dispute between Dangote Petroleum Refinery and the oil unions was worrisome, adding that that the committee had received submissions from various interest groups.
“We will be guided by what is best for the nation. At the end of the day, we prayed for a functional refinery in Nigeria, and now we have one,” he said.
Ugochinyere said the persistence of the rift could lead to instability in the downstream sector and discourage investors, stressing the urgency of restoring stability.
“We have looked into the ongoing dispute between Dangote, the oil marketers, and the tanker drivers. If these issues are not well handled, they could destabilise the downstream sector.
“So, as we try to balance trade and other competitive interests, we must also ensure that we don’t create an impression that could discourage other investors, who are willing to put millions of dollars into the sector, from feeling confident about the safety of their investment,” he said.
According to him, the committee was already re-investigating the refinery upgrade and acquisition of OVH Energy Marketing’s downstream assets by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL).
“The investigation is distinct from the previous inquiry. The House has, therefore, mandated the Downstream Committee to undertake a fresh investigation—with a clear directive to uncover what truly transpired in the OVH acquisition process.
“This includes examining the funds paid, details of the acquisition agreement, the assets involved, and the circumstances under which former OVH managers were reported to have formed a new company that later acquired OVH itself.
“Shockingly, those same individuals are also alleged to have assumed leadership roles within NNPC Retail, raising serious concerns about the integrity and transparency of the entire transaction,” he said.
