Oil Union Suspends Strike, Urges Dangote Refinery To Honour Agreement

The Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) has suspended its nationwide strike against the Dangote Group after several days of disruptions across the oil and gas sector.

The industrial action, which began on Sunday, September 28, was triggered by the dismissal of more than 800 workers who had voluntarily joined the union.

Speaking at a briefing in Abuja yesterday, PENGASSAN president, Comrade Festus Osifo, explained that the union decided to suspend the strike out of respect for the institutions of state and the mediation effort that stretched into the early hours of Wednesday.

The union said it was not satisfied with the terms of the five-point resolutions earlier signed by the Minister of Labour and Employment, Mohammed Maigari Dingyadi.

According to Osifo, while PENGASSAN had strong doubts that Dangote would honour the terms of the resolution, the union resolved to demonstrate good faith by suspending the action.

“If you see that communique, it was signed by only the government because we were not satisfied with some of the things in that communique.

However, after examining the communique, we saw many grey areas and loopholes, which we communicated to the government. They assured us that they would be on top of this. They told us that we should not worry that they would be on top of it,” he said.

“We understand that Dangote does not respect the rules of engagement. We truly don’t believe he will keep to his side of the bargain. Still, because we have respect for institutions, because we have respect for government, because we have respect for processes and procedures, and because of those in government who sat up till almost 4 a.m. this morning to try and resolve this subject, the NEC has decided to listen to them”, he added.

The union leader emphasised that the suspension was conditional.

“Remember, we are suspending, and we will be monitoring. We will closely follow any slip on the part of Dangote, any part of this agreement, or any part of this communique as put up by the Ministry of Labour that is broken. We will not give any notice. We will not give any warning. We will resume the suspended industrial action immediately,” he warned.

Osifo expressed appreciation to the government officials who stepped in to broker peace.

“We thank the National Security Advisor who took the bull by the horns. We also wish to thank the DGDSS, who were following up on these issues and were there till the early hours of today. Of course, the Chief Reconciliator of the Federation, the Minister of Labour and Employment, supported by the Minister of Finance and the Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, and all the captains of industries, all the captains of the agencies within the Petroleum Ministry, not leaving out the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Petroleum,” he said.