Professor Ken Ife, an economist, has argued that Dangote Group CEO Aliko Dangote holds all the cards in his conflict with the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN), warning that ordinary Nigerians—not the billionaire businessman—will suffer from the union’s strike action.
Speaking during an interview with Channels TV, Professor Ife advised the union against engaging in an unwinnable battle. “Don’t fight a war you cannot win. You can’t stop that company; it is in the free trade zone. Dangote can decide not to sell one litre of petrol to Nigeria. You cannot stop that. But if he decides he’s going to do it, he’s going to do it. So, let’s be real. He has nothing to lose,” the economist stated.
Professor Ife criticized PENGASSAN for embarking on strike action over the dismissal of 800 workers, arguing that the union is prioritizing a small number of employees over the entire nation. “You don’t equate 800 workers to 230 million Nigerians. You don’t equate 800 workers to 4.2 million employees in this country,” he said.
The economist calculated the massive economic impact of the strike compared to the salaries of the affected workers. “And you don’t allow this country to bleed 14.5 billion naira every day for salaries of workers that is not up to anything. If the 800 workers are receiving 100,000 naira a month, that will come to only 80 million naira. But look at what you are going to lose in a day,” Professor Ife explained.
He warned that Nigeria is ill-prepared to handle such economic losses. Professor Ife also cautioned that the union’s actions could ultimately harm the very workers they claim to protect. “You are destroying the jobs of these workers because you are closing the door for any further negotiation. And then what happens? You’re not even going to allow other people to enter this space,” he asserted.Continue, Full, Reading>>>>
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