Strike: FG Appeals To PENGASSAN Over Dangote Dispute, Schedules Truce Meeting Today
The Federal Government has asked the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria, PENSASSAN, to reconsider its proposed strike starting today over its dispute with Dangote Refinery.
The Federal Government has asked the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria, PENSASSAN, to reconsider its proposed strike starting today over its dispute with Dangote Refinery.
Minister of Labour and Employment, Muhammad Dingyadi, made this plea on Sunday, noting that his Ministry had taken steps to bring both parties to a roundtable in a bid to resolve the dispute and prevent it from escalating further.
According to a statement signed by the Head of Information and Public Relations in the Ministry of Labour, Patience Onuobia, Dingyadi stated that invitations had been extended to both the leadership of PENGASSAN and Dangote Refinery management to attend an emergency meeting in his office today for the resolution of the dispute.
Dingyadi then, appealed to the leadership of PENGASSAN to withdraw the strike declaration to allow his Ministry mediate and resolve the dispute in a peaceful atmosphere.
The statement further read, “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.
“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 by the country but also cause more hardship and difficulties for Nigerians. Consequentially, it will have adverse impacts, both on economic stability and national security.”
STRIKE NOTICE
PENGASSAN had in a circular after an emergency National Executive Council meeting on Saturday, directed its members nationwide to withdraw their services following the alleged mass dismissal of some it's workers by Dangote Refinery, accusing the refinery of violating Nigeria’s labour laws, the Constitution, and International Labour Organisation conventions by dismissing workers for joining the union.
It alleged the refinery had replaced the dismissed staff with “over 2,000 Indians,” calling the action “an affront to all workers in Nigeria.”
The union, then ordered members in field locations to down tools from Sunday, as well as a total nationwide shutdown across offices, companies, institutions, and agencies from Monday.
PREVENTING SABOTAGE
Also, reacting to PENGASSAN’s allegation, Dangote Refinery said that the recent reorganisation in the company, which led to the sacking of some workers, was aimed at preventing intermittent cases of sabotage even as it denied claims that the exercise was arbitrary, stressing that it was carried out to address safety concerns and boost operational efficiency.
“This exercise is not arbitrary. It has become necessary to safeguard the refinery from repeated acts of sabotage that have raised safety concerns and affected operational efficiency.
“The foregoing decision was taken in the best interest of the refinery as a result of intermittent cases of sabotage in the various units of the refinery with dire consequences on human life and related safety concerns,” the company added.
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