Dangote/PENGASSAN Face-Off: FG moves to broker truce, urges union to shelve strike

The Federal Government has appealed to the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) to reconsider its proposed nationwide strike over a dispute with Dangote Refinery.

Minister of Labour and Employment, Muhammad Dingyadi, made this plea on Sunday, stating that his ministry has taken steps to bring both parties to a roundtable to prevent the dispute from escalating further.

In a statement signed by the Head of Information and Public Relations in the Ministry of Labour, Patience Onuobia, Dingyadi disclosed that invitations have been extended to PENGASSAN leadership and Dangote Refinery management to attend an emergency meeting in Dingyadi’s office on Monday for conciliation.

The Minister urged PENGASSAN to withdraw the strike declaration, allowing his ministry to resolve the dispute peacefully.

PENGASSAN directed its members nationwide to withdraw services following alleged mass dismissal of Nigerian workers by Dangote Refinery.

The union accused the refinery of violating Nigeria’s labour laws and international conventions by dismissing workers for joining the association.

PENGASSAN also alleged that the refinery replaced the dismissed staff with over 2,000 foreign workers, calling the action “an affront to all workers in Nigeria”.

In response, Dangote refinery stated that the recent reorganisation was aimed at preventing intermittent cases of sabotage and ensuring operational efficiency.

The company refuted claims that the exercise was arbitrary, saying it was necessary to safeguard the refinery from repeated acts of sabotage that raised safety concerns and affected operational efficiency.

The strike could have significant consequences, including revenue losses, economic instability and national security.