The Federal Government has reiterated its commitment to steady supply of refined petroleum products in the country.
This is contained in a statement issued by the Director, Information and Public Relations in the Federal Ministry of Finance, Mohammed Manga, in Abuja on Sunday.
Manga said that the steering committee of the Domestic Crude Oil and Refined Products Sales in Local Currency Initiative met earlier on Sunday to review developments in the downstream oil sector.
He also said that Mr. Wale Edun, Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, raised the issue of the purported suspension of the Naira-for-crude oil arrangement by the Dangote Refinery, adding this had since been amicably resolved.
According to him, the concerns raised by the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) regarding the Dangote Refinery have also been resolved.
Edun, who chaired the committee, said gave an assurance that the crude oil for the Naira initiative would continue.
The minister said that all outstanding issues, particularly the dispute between PENGASSAN and Dangote Refinery, are being addressed with urgency and in good faith.
Edun also said that the Federal Government remained fully committed to ensuring energy security, protecting consumers, and maintaining stability in the domestic petroleum products market.
He further reaffirmed that there would be no disruption in the supply of refined petroleum products across the country.
In attendance were the Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Sen. Atiku Bagudu, the Chairman Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) and Mr Zacch Adedeji, who also chairs the Technical Committee,
Also in attendance were the representatives of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority, Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Ltd., Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Afreximbank, and the Dangote Refinery.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), reports that PENGASSAN had earlier announced a nationwide strike, directing all its members across offices, companies, institutions and agencies to halt services beginning from 12:01 am Sept. 29
The directive came after PENGASSAN alleged that Nigerian workers were sacked by Dangote Refinery following their joining of the union.
It also claimed that management also withdrew staff buses and denied entry to locals while allowing expatriates access.
The union threatened to picket the refinery if the situation was not addressed.
Dangote Refinery, however, maintained that its restructuring was necessary after alleging acts of sabotage in different units of the facility, posing serious risks to human lives and operations.
