Abuja, Nigeria – The former Senate Leader, Ali Ndume, don come out on Wednesday to drop serious gist for all the labour unions and oil industry stakeholders. E dey caution dem say make dem no try demonize Dangote Refinery like say dem wan turn am to enemy of the state. This warning dey come after wahala don start between Dangote Refinery management and the Nigerian Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG), plus Depot and Petroleum Products Marketers Association of Nigeria (DAPPMAN).
NUPENG don start industrial action before, shutting down depots because dem no gree allow truck drivers join the union as per the Trade Union Act. Meanwhile, DAPPMAN dey accuse Dangote of stifling competition by selling products to international traders at cheaper rates than Nigerian marketers. (E be like say competition no dey smile for Nigeria.)
As the story dey unfold, the Department of State Services don step in to mediate the matter with the workers’ union, but tension still dey for the downstream sector. Ndume, for im statement wey e drop on Wednesday, talk say make dem no create “poisonous media narrative” wey go make Dangote look bad for both local and international eyes.
“I dey urge NUPENG, PENGASSAN, and all wey dey concern to just sit down and talk with Dangote. No be to dey incite division and create unnecessary wahala for media,” Ndume bin talk as e dey try find solution. (E good to sabi say talk strong pass any noise.)
Ndume come remind everybody say previous governments don try encourage private operators to build refineries, but wetin happen? Plenty of dem just come collect the licenses, chop the incentives, and waka. “Before Dangote go build im refinery, several licenses don dey granted, but na wetin dem do with am? E no reach anywhere. If my memory no fail me, 12 private operators get licenses back in 2002 but wetin dem don achieve?”
Come check am, the second batch of licenses show up in 2007 and na only nine operators collect am again. Ndume dey vex say those wey dey claim to be fuel importers no take initiative to form refinery but now dem dey blame Dangote for monopoly. (Who dem think say dem be?)
Ndume wey represent Borno South, insist say no be correct to dey point finger at Dangote for trying to monopolize the oil sector. E come remind everybody say Federal Government don already take steps to deregulate the sector as per the Petroleum Industry Act, to make competition fair for all.
“No dey flex muscle wey no dey exist for deregulatory environment. No player dey get any special privilege against the other. Make we all play fair,” he added, as e dey call on the regulators like the Ministry of Petroleum Resources and the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) to intervene and stop fights from disturbing petroleum product distribution.
As e be, this na serious matter for oil industry wey fit affect everybody for Naija. Make we cross our fingers, and let’s hope say dem go figure am out before e turn to something wey we go dey regret.
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