By John Umeh
The Federal Government on Monday intervened in the escalating dispute between the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) and the Dangote Petroleum Refinery over the alleged dismissal of more than 800 workers.
The Minister of Labour and Employment, Mohammed Dingyadi, alongside the Minister of State for Labour, Nkiruka Onyejeocha, hosted both parties in a closed-door meeting at the ministry’s headquarters in Abuja. PENGASSAN’s delegation was led by its president, Festus Osifo, while senior officials represented the refinery.
The face-off began after PENGASSAN accused the refinery of sacking workers for attempting to join the union, describing the action as a breach of Nigeria’s labour laws, the Constitution, and International Labour Organisation (ILO) conventions. Dangote Refinery has denied any wrongdoing, saying the disengagement was part of an internal reorganisation aimed at curbing sabotage, improving safety, and enhancing operational efficiency.
In response to the alleged mass sack, PENGASSAN on Monday shut down the Abuja offices of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), and the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA). The action followed a directive from the union’s National Executive Council, which had declared a nationwide strike after an emergency meeting on September 27.
On Sunday, the Minister of Labour had appealed to PENGASSAN to reconsider its strike action, warning that it could deepen economic hardship, lead to revenue losses, and affect national security.
As of press time, the reconciliation meeting between the government, the union, and Dangote Refinery was still ongoing, with Nigerians hoping for a breakthrough to avert further disruptions in the oil and gas sector.
