The controversy between the Dangote Petroleum Refinery and the Nigerian Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers took a new turn on Friday when the Dangote refinery asked the union to expose those behind the reported $18bn spent on government-owned refineries without results.
In a statement, Dangote questioned why the refineries in Port Harcourt, Warri, and Kaduna remained comatose despite the colossal expenditure on turnaround maintenance and rehabilitation over the years.
From Port Harcourt to Warri and Kaduna, the three refineries owned by the Federal Government remain idle despite repeated promises of turnaround maintenance.
Alhaji Aliko Dangote said recently that $18bn was expended on the refineries over the years by successive administrations, yet the plants have refused to function.
Amid allegations that Dangote did not allow its petroleum tanker drivers to unionise, Dangote recalled the role played by NUPENG during the 2007 privatisation of the Port Harcourt and Warri refineries.
The firm challenged the union to assist Nigerians in unravelling the mystery behind the huge expenditure.
Dangote reminded the union that in 2007, when the Port Harcourt and Kaduna refineries were privatised to a consortium that included the company, NUPENG was among the fiercest opponents, calling for the reversal of the sale.
Dangote said Nigerians must ask questions about what happened to the government refineries.
“We must begin to ask what has happened to all four FGN-owned refineries—Porth Harcourt, Warri and Kaduna.
“When Port Harcourt and Kaduna refineries were privatised to a consortium Dangote was a member of in 2007, the same NUPENG were amongst the town criers against the privatisation.
“To date, about $18bn has been wasted to rehabilitate the refineries without any success. Who are the people who spent all these humongous amounts without any result? Can NUPENG assist Nigerians to unravel this?” the company queried.
Reacting to claims by NUPENG that it was planning to monopolise the petroleum sector with its direct fuel distribution scheme, the Dangote Group said its refinery operates within a deregulated market framework, under the oversight of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority.
“Assertions of monopolistic intent are both legally and factually incorrect,” it stated.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Labour summoned another meeting on Friday to settle the renewed crisis between the two groups.
NUPENG told Saturday PUNCH that the meeting was held at the office of the Department of State Services in Abuja.
Alhaji Sayyu Dantata of MRS Oil led the Dangote Group to the meeting, while Akporeha led the NUPENG team.
In an interview with our correspondent after the meeting, Akporeha said both parties were told to follow the memorandum of understanding signed on Tuesday.
“The meeting has ended. The status of the communique must be maintained by all parties,” he said.
Friday’s meeting followed the collapse of Tuesday’s memorandum of understanding to establish peace between Dangote and NUPENG.
Recall that NUPENG had on Monday shut down fuel depots, protesting that the Dangote refinery did not allow the newly recruited drivers for its 4,000 compressed natural gas-powered trucks to join the union.
