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Dangote Refinery: CSOs kick against DAPPMAN, Labour Unions’ Strike Threat

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Cyril Ogar

The Coalition of Civil Society Organisations in Nigeria (COCSON), Nigerian Interfaith Forum (NIF), National Coalition for Market Men, Women and Artisans (NACOMWA), and Petroleum Consumers Protection Alliance (PCPA) have expressed bitterness with the Depot and Petroleum Products Marketers Association of Nigeria (DAPPMAN), as well as strike threats by PENGASSAN, TUC, and NUPENG, saying it represent nothing short of a direct assault on the Nigerian people.

The coalition, in a press statement during their rally to the Presidential Villa, National Assembly and NMDPRA in Abuja on Tuesday, signed by the President, Coalition of Civil Society Organisations in Nigeria (COCSON), Comrade Ibrahim Suleiman; National Chairman, Nigerian Interfaith Forum (NIF), Rev. Dr. Mathew Ayodele; National President, National Coalition for Market Men, Women & Artisans (NACOMWA), Comrade Boma Agbede, and Chairman, Petroleum Consumers Protection Alliance (PCPA), Barr. Yusuf Danladi, called on President Bola Tinubu to hold leaders of these unions responsible if there is a breakdown of law and order in this country and they should be immediately arrested for disobedience to court order.

The coalition said: “For decades, Nigerians have been held hostage by a cartel that thrives on import dependency, round-tripping, subsidy scams, and artificial scarcity. DAPPMAN, an organisation that should be a partner in progress, has chosen instead to undermine the Dangote Refinery and other indigenous refining initiatives because they fear competition, transparency, and efficiency.

“DAPPMAN’s opposition to Dangote Refinery’s emergence as a major force in local refining is not about policy, not about patriotism—it is about preserving their stranglehold over Nigerians. Their agenda is to keep fuel importation alive, so they can continue profiteering at the expense of ordinary citizens who are already battered by poverty, unemployment, and inflation.

“We are equally disturbed by reports that PENGASSAN, NUPENG, and the TUC are planning to embark on an industrial strike to back DAPPMAN’s destructive agenda. At a time when Nigerians are groaning under the weight of economic hardship—when families are choosing between food and school fees, when transportation costs already swallow meagre salaries—these labour unions want to compound the suffering by shutting down oil and gas operations.

“Let us be clear: this is not a strike for workers. It is a strike for cartels. This is not a fight for fairness. It is a fight against Nigeria’s independence in refining. History will not forgive any union that aligns with saboteurs against the very people they claim to represent.”

The coalition said they welcome with relief the ruling of the Federal High Court which barred PENGASSAN from stopping gas supply to Dangote Refinery, saying the judgment validates their position that the strike threats were not in the interest of workers or Nigerians, but a calculated move to sabotage Nigeria’s refining revolution.

They said the judiciary has spoken clearly that no union or cartel has the right to hold 200 million Nigerians hostage in pursuit of selfish interests, and called on security agencies to enforce this ruling decisively and ensure that no group undermines the court’s order.

They further stated that, “ASUU is the union of university lecturers in Nigeria, but it does not go after Covenant, Baze, Babcock, JABU, or Crescent universities to force their lecturers into membership. NURTW is the union of road transport workers, yet it does not force the drivers of God is Good, GUO, Ekeson, or Chisco into its ranks.

“NUT is the union of teachers in primary and secondary schools, yet it does not march into Chrisland, Grange, British International School, or Charterhouse to compel teachers to join.

“So why should Dangote Refinery, a private enterprise built with private sweat and risk, solving our collective refining crisis—be forced into the grip of PENGASSAN or any union that can shut it down at will?

“If any worker at Dangote Refinery is unhappy and feels the need for union protection, let them seek employment elsewhere or test their grievances in court. Nigerians cannot allow a situation where, after decades of suffering from fuel imports, one man builds a world-class refinery, and a union claims the power to cripple it at will.”

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Philanthropist Tsar conferred with UNIPGC Doctorate Award in UK

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Dr. Livinus Adzer Tsar, a renowned Nigerian philanthropist has been conferred with an Honorary Doctorate Award in Leadership and Governance by the American University of Peace and Governance in conjunction with the United International Peace and Governance Council (UNIPGC), at the 3rd Edition of the Global Leadership Investment Summit and Peace Award at the House of Lords, British Parliament, London, UK.

In his remarks, Amb. Dr. Jonathan Ojadah, UNIPGC Global President and Permanent Representative to the United Nations, urged the recipients to serve as worthy peace ambassadors and exemplary leaders on the global stage.

He added that the recognition was due to their outstanding contributions to sustainable humanitarian efforts, social work, and development management.

Dr. Tsar is the first Benue indigene to be inducted as a member of the UNIPGC which has its headquarters in Atlanta, GA in the United States of America.

The UNIPGC is a Civil Society/Diplomatic organization devoted to the promotion of Sustainable Peace, Good Governance Advocacy and Poverty Eradication across the globe.

Also speaking, Dr Graziella Thake, Secretary General of UNIPGC, said the Doctorate Award was given to Dr. Tsar, as a result of his dedication to investment in property eradication programs, peace initiative and empowering of Nigerian youths, women, vulnerable and widows.

Award is in recognition of the activities of the recipient, Livinus Tsar in ensuring peace, good governance, empowerment, community development and skill acquisition of thousands of Benue people and Nigerians, he added.

In his remarks, Dr Tsar reaffirms his support for the mandates of the Benue State government in several areas of governance. He has also promised to lubricate and oil the wheels of relationships between the state government led by Reverend Father Hyacinth Alia and the people of the state and had also created public awareness on the various activities of the government.

He retirated the commencement of his skill acquisition for thousands of Benue State people on sewing, making of organic fertilizer, barbing, hairdressing, shoe making, fabrics making, and many other vocations skills where over hundreds of trainees who have completed their trainings have collected N300,000.00 each.

Dr Tsar emphasized that through his organization, Livitsar Support Group For Alia/Tinubu 2027, he donated several motorized boreholes with reticulation across the 23 local government of Benue State.

In a brief remark, Prof. Kohol Iornem, Director of Programmes at London Graduate School, described the honor as a call to deepen his commitment to sustainable peace and development while thanking the dignitaries for finding time to attend and celebrate the awardee.

UNIPGC is Governed by the Supreme Council which constitutes the highest order of the organogram and is headed by the Global President who doubles as the Chairman of the Supreme Council to oversee the affairs of all activities and programs of UNIPGC worldwide.

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