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FG Intervenes in PENGASSAN, Dangote Dispute, Calls Emergency Meeting
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Union protests dismissal of 800 workers, vows nationwide strike.
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Dangote insists sackings were restructuring, FG warns of economic impact.
The Federal Government has stepped into the escalating crisis between the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) and the management of Dangote Petroleum Refinery, summoning both parties to an emergency conciliation meeting.
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EKO HOT BLOG reports that the Minister of Labour and Employment, Maigari Dingyadi, announced that the meeting will take place on Monday at the ministry’s headquarters in Abuja.
In a statement issued through the ministry’s spokesperson, Patience Onuobia, the Minister urged PENGASSAN to reconsider its nationwide strike directive, warning that such action would severely impact the nation’s fragile economy.
“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,” Dingyadi said.
He added, “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 but also cause more hardship for Nigerians. Consequentially, it will have adverse impacts on both economic stability and national security.”
The dispute intensified on Sunday, September 28, after PENGASSAN directed its members nationwide to withdraw their services in protest against the reported dismissal of at least 800 refinery workers. The union condemned the action, describing it as a direct attack on workers’ rights and freedom of association, particularly after employees had joined PENGASSAN in large numbers.
However, Dangote Refinery’s management has defended the move, insisting the layoffs were part of an internal restructuring exercise.
The standoff has been building for months, as the refinery reportedly resisted unionisation efforts, sparking accusations of anti-labour practices. The situation worsened in September when the refinery terminated the employment of hundreds of Nigerian workers shortly after many of them became members of PENGASSAN.
The union responded with threats of a nationwide strike, accusing the company of violating Nigeria’s labour laws and undermining workers’ constitutional right to unionise.
PENGASSAN, one of Nigeria’s most influential oil and gas unions, has a long history of playing decisive roles in labour disputes. Its actions have often disrupted the petroleum sector, crippling national operations during clashes with employers or the government.
