The Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) has suspended its nationwide strike after reaching a tentative agreement with the Federal Government and the management of Dangote Refinery.
PENGASSAN President, Festus Osifo, announced the suspension at a press conference in Abuja on Wednesday, explaining that the decision followed a meeting with the National Security Adviser and refinery management.
Osifo acknowledged that “grey areas” remain in the communiqué signed by both parties, noting that the union suspended its action in good faith but with some dissatisfaction. He warned that the strike would resume without notice if Dangote Refinery fails to honour the terms of the agreement.
The union and Dangote Refinery had been at loggerheads over unresolved labour disputes, particularly relating to workers’ rights and unionisation.
Earlier, the Minister of Labour and Employment, Mohammed Dingyadi, confirmed that the industrial dispute had been resolved. In a communiqué, Dingyadi emphasised that unionisation is a legal right of workers and assured that no employee would be victimised for taking part in the dispute.
The minister also disclosed that the Dangote Group had agreed to reassign over 800 disengaged workers to its subsidiaries without loss of pay. “Both parties agreed to this understanding in good faith,” Dingyadi stated.
