The Nigerian government has called on the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) to halt its planned nationwide strike over its dispute with the Dangote Refinery.
In a statement released on Sunday in Abuja, the Minister of Labour and Employment, Muhammad Dingyadi, said that the ministry has already taken steps to mediate between the parties to prevent further escalation of the issue. He urged the union to retract its strike notice, enabling the government to facilitate mediation in a conducive environment.
“The Ministry of Labour and Employment, through the Director of Trade Union Services and Industrial Relations, has extended invitations to the leadership of PENGASSAN and the management of Dangote Refinery to attend a conciliation meeting in my office on Monday.
“I appeal to both parties to be mindful of the importance of the petroleum sector to the country, being the core of her economy. A strike will not only lead to heavy revenue losses for the country but also cause more hardship and difficulties for Nigerians. Consequently, it will have adverse impacts, both on economic stability and national security,” he added.
On Saturday, PENGASSAN announced a nationwide strike in reaction to the termination of several Nigerian workers by the Dangote Refinery.
In a statement issued on Sunday in Abuja, the General Secretary of the association, Lumumba Okugbawa, indicated that the decision followed an urgent meeting of the union’s National Executive Council (NEC).
Okugbawa described the refinery’s actions as a breach of Nigeria’s labour laws, the Constitution, and various international agreements. The union leader clarified that the NEC instructed all PENGASSAN members at field locations to cease work starting at 06:00 hrs on Sunday, September 28, while those in offices, companies, institutions, and agencies are to stop working from 00:01 hrs on Monday, September 29.
In response, the Dangote Group accused PENGASSAN of attempting to undermine the Dangote Refinery. The Group warned that the threatened strike could jeopardise fuel supply for 230 million Nigerians.
The Group also claimed that the strike reflects PENGASSAN’s interference in the $750 million Federal Government deal for the sale of the struggling Port Harcourt and Kaduna refineries to a Dangote-led consortium in 2007.
It also addressed allegations regarding the dismissal of over 800 Nigerian workers and their replacement with 2,000 Indian workers, stating these claims are untrue. According to the Group, over 3,000 Nigerians remain employed at the refinery.
Additionally, the Group referenced a legal case involving the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), noting that PENGASSAN had also opposed reforms and corporate initiatives that could enhance Nigeria’s energy sector and economic stability.
