- Dangote Refinery, PENGASSAN Dispute Moves to NSA’s Office
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Union accuses refinery of anti-labour practices, company denies allegations.
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Federal Government intensifies mediation to avert oil sector crisis.
The ongoing reconciliation efforts between Dangote Refinery and the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) have shifted to the Office of the National Security Adviser (NSA) in Abuja.
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EKO HOT BLOG reports that the meeting, which began on Tuesday, was attended by the Minister of Labour and Employment, Mohammed Dingyadi, and leaders of PENGASSAN. Both parties, who initially gathered at the Labour Ministry, later moved to the NSA’s office, where the discussions are being held behind closed doors.
This development follows the deadlock in Monday’s meeting convened by the federal government. That session, held at the Labour Ministry’s Conference Hall in Abuja, started around 3:30 p.m. but ended shortly after midnight without agreement. Talks were then adjourned and rescheduled for Tuesday.
The federal government had stepped in after reports of mounting discontent among oil and gas workers over alleged anti-labour practices at Dangote Refinery. PENGASSAN has accused the refinery of engaging in mass transfers and dismissals of union members. The union also claimed that some Nigerian staff were replaced with foreign nationals, an allegation strongly denied by the company.
At the negotiating table, PENGASSAN’s delegation was led by its President, Festus Osifo, alongside Nuhu Toro, General Secretary of the Trade Union Congress (TUC). The government team was represented by the Minister of Labour, while Dangote Refinery was represented by senior management officials.
The dispute, if unresolved, could escalate tensions in the oil and gas sector, prompting the government to elevate discussions to the NSA’s office for broader intervention.
