Proscribe PENGASSAN if dispute with Dangote continues, Prophet Ariole urges Tinubu

The General Overseer of Goshen Freedom Tabernacle,GFT, Effurun in Uvwie Local Government Area of Delta State, Prophet Austin Ariole JP on Tuesday urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to proscribe the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria, PENGASSAN and NUPENG if their dispute with Dangote Refinery continues. 

The Cleric made the call in a statement he sent to Our Correspondent in Warri. 

It would be recalled that PENGASSAN began strike following the sack of eight hundred (800) of its workers from the employ of Dangote Refinery on Monday. 

PENGASSAN in picketing action  directed branches to halt crude and gas supplies, effectively starving the plant of input. 

Prophet Ariole,'The President must Act If unions persist in this reckless path" I sisting that the federal government must not fold its arms.

He stressed that, "The President has the constitutional duty to protect Nigerians from economic hostage-taking."

According to him,"Proscription is not too strong a word when unions become a threat to national security.

He opined that if President Tinubu could have the boldness in declaring a state of emergency in Rivers State, he should also wield his authority in the Petroleum and gas sector saying, "Nigerians cannot be dragged back into scarcity and darkness because of union power games."

Prophet Ariole said PENGASSAN's action against Dangote Refinery is "economic blackmail" and not negotiations. 

He noted that the court and Ministry of Labour&Interior are opened If Dangote had violated labour laws.

"Nigeria has dispute-resolution mechanisms. But to weaponize the nation’s pipelines and power supply as bargaining chips is to cross from labour activism into national sabotage.

"Where Was This Energy with NNPC?
For decades, Nigeria’s state-owned refineries have failed despite endless turnaround maintenance contracts and billions of dollars spent. 

"Did PENGASSAN and NUPENG picket NNPC to demand accountability? Did they blockade pipelines because Kaduna and Warri refineries are dead? No. Instead, their fire is now aimed at the one operator actually producing. 

"If the refineries built and funded with public money could not work, and Dangote is filling the gap, then unions must not destroy what remains of national hope.

Dangote may be a Capitalist But He is Producing. Yes, Dangote is a capitalist. But capitalism is not Nigeria’s greatest danger—failure and scarcity are. The average Nigerian does not care for ideology; he cares for fuel in the tank, light in the bulb, and bread that is affordable.

"When unions strike against Dangote, they are not punishing him—they are punishing the common man. Already, fears of fuel scarcity are rising. Power plants that depend on gas could collapse. Inflation could spike again. This is cruelty disguised as solidarity."

Prophet Ariole also warned the labour unions that citizens who usually bare the brunt of such disputes may rise some day 

"Unions must remember: the power they wield comes from the people. And if they turn against the people, the same people will rise against them. 

"Nigerians want one thing now: not strikes, not scarcity, but lower prices of petroleum products and a chance to breathe after years of crisis."


"Let PENGASSAN and NUPENG hear this clearly: Dangote is not your enemy. The suffering masses will not forgive you if you make life harder in the name of labour rights."