Strike Lingers As PENGASSAN, Dangote Meeting Ends In Deadlock
Efforts by the Federal Government to resolve the ongoing nationwide industrial action by the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) ended in a stalemate late last night, after more than nine hours of intense negotiations with the Dangote Group and union leaders.
The high-level conciliation meeting, convened in Abuja to avert further disruptions to Nigeria’s energy sector, was attended by the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Mr. Wale Edun; Minister of Labour and Employment, Alhaji Muhammad Maigari Dingyadi; PENGASSAN officials led by President Comrade Festus Osifo; and senior representatives of the Dangote Group.
Despite extended discussions and multiple breakaway sessions aimed at exploring resolutions, the parties were unable to reach an agreement on the central issue: the reinstatement of over 800 workers allegedly dismissed by the Dangote Petroleum Refinery.
PENGASSAN: No Agreement Without Reinstatement
Speaking to reporters after the meeting, PENGASSAN President Festus Osifo expressed disappointment over the deadlock, emphasizing that the union’s demand for the immediate reinstatement of the sacked workers remained unchanged.
“We have been here for nine hours trying to find a solution,” Osifo said. “We’ve broken into smaller teams, explored all possible resolutions, but unfortunately, there is no solution tonight.”
He lamented the socio-economic toll on the affected employees and their families, warning that their abrupt dismissal could have long-term consequences on their careers.
“These people are fathers and mothers whose livelihoods are now at stake. Some were trainees falsely accused of sabotage—a damaging label in the oil and gas industry,” he said. “If they go home like this, no other company in Nigeria will employ them because they have been branded as saboteurs.”
Osifo reiterated that the strike would continue until the dismissed workers are reinstated.
“Our position is very clear: reinstate the workers, and we’ll call off the strike immediately. But that has not happened. We’ve been asked to reconvene by 2 p.m. today. We hope the hearts of those in power are touched,” he added.
He also confirmed that the Dangote Group acknowledged the terminations, citing official dismissal letters that have already surfaced in the media.
“Dangote Group admitted to sacking 800 people, and the reasons are in the letters—these are already public documents,” Osifo noted.
Government: Progress Made, But Key Issue Remains
Presiding over the meeting, Labour Minister Maigari Dingyadi said while progress had been made on other fronts, the matter of reinstatement remained unresolved.
“We’ve made a lot of progress. The two major issues were unionization and reinstatement,” he said. “We are reconvening today at 2 p.m. to continue. The reinstatement is the only outstanding issue.”
Finance Minister Wale Edun also expressed concern about the economic impact of the ongoing strike and urged a swift resolution.
“What matters to the public, to the government, to investors, and to economic stakeholders is that we limit the damage this strike could do to the economy,” Edun stated. “We need gas flowing, we need crude flowing. It is critical to sustaining our current economic momentum.”
He added: “That is why we spent nine hours here. We are optimistic that later today, we can break the deadlock, resolve this matter, and move forward.”
Background and Implications
PENGASSAN declared the nationwide strike following the dismissal of over 800 workers by the Dangote Petroleum Refinery. The industrial action has already begun to affect operations in key sectors, raising fears of potential shortages of refined products and disruptions in gas supply.
As tensions persist, the next round of talks scheduled for 2 p.m. today will be critical in determining the outcome of the standoff and its broader implications for Nigeria’s energy sector and economy.
