The Federal Government on Monday intervened in the 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, Nkiruka Onyejeocha, convened a closed-door meeting with both parties at the ministry’s headquarters in Abuja.
PENGASSAN’s delegation, led by its President, Festus Osifo, accused the refinery of unlawfully sacking workers who attempted to join the union. The association described the move as a violation of Nigeria’s labour laws, the Constitution, and International Labour Organisation (ILO) conventions.
Dangote Refinery, however, refuted the allegations, insisting the disengagements were part of an internal restructuring aimed at curbing sabotage, strengthening safety measures, and boosting operational efficiency.
In response, PENGASSAN staged protests on Monday, shutting down the Abuja offices of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC), the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission, and the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority.
The demonstrations followed a directive from the union’s National Executive Council, which had earlier declared a nationwide strike during its emergency meeting on September 27.
Ahead of the strike, the Labour Minister appealed to PENGASSAN to reconsider its stance, warning that industrial action could worsen economic hardship and pose risks to national security.
As of press time, the reconciliation meeting was still ongoing.
