The Director-General of the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN), Segun Ajayi, has condemned the escalating confrontation between petroleum marketers, labour unions, and the Dangote Refinery, describing it as “unconscionable” and a grave threat to investor confidence.
He made this known while speaking on the matter during an interview with Arise News on Tuesday.
Ajayi likened the unions’ actions to “vultures gathering to devour what should be a jewel of Nigerian manufacturing.”
He stressed that no investor would commit billions of dollars to build a factory only to see it “decimated” by industrial disputes.
The standoff has escalated into threats of a nationwide strike, with Ajayi arguing that such disputes should be addressed through lawful processes rather than by crippling the economy.
The MAN DG urged government intervention to enforce court orders already in place and called for restraint from labour leaders.
While acknowledging Dangote’s refinery as a major “disruption” in the sector, Ajayi further insisted that negotiations, not threats, must guide resolution.
He stated, “I think that governments should step in and we should ensure the rule of law. I’m told that there’s a court injunction and they should obey it.
“You cannot shut down an economy, and you cannot disincentivise private sector investment. Because everyone is watching. How will anyone who sees what has been done to Dangote now want to come into this country and invest big? And that is what an economy like Nigeria needs.
“I believe that it is wrong and the labour unions should please keep their sword apart and let us have dialogue to be able to resolve the matter. There is no way you can browbeat organisations to do your will. I mean, it’s a disruption.
“Dangote’s entry in this is a disruption. And they should be able to negotiate their way with Dangote. You can’t force anybody to do this kind of thing. And you should be condemned.”
Backstory
On Sunday, the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN ordered a nationwide strike in response to the dismissal of some Nigerian workers by the Dangote Refinery.
In a statement issued in Abuja, the association’s General Secretary, Lumumba Okugbawa, said the decision followed an emergency meeting of the union’s National Executive Council (NEC).
Okugbawa described the refinery’s action as a violation of Nigeria’s labour laws, the Constitution, and international conventions.
In response, the Federal Government appealed to PENGASSAN to suspend its planned nationwide strike over its dispute with Dangote Refinery.
The Minister of Labour and Employment, Muhammad Dingyadi, said the ministry had already initiated moves to reconcile the parties to prevent the crisis from escalating.
