PENGASSAN suspends nationwide strike after FG’s intervention in dispute with Dangote refinery

The Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) has suspended its nationwide strike. 

Festus Osifo, PENGASSAN’s president, announced the suspension at a press conference in Abuja on Wednesday.

“We are suspending and will be monitoring closely,” he said.

“Any slip on the part of Dangote, any part of this agreement, or any communiqué put out by the ministry of labour that is broken, we will not give any notice; we will resume this suspended industrial action.”

PENGASSAN had instructed its members to embark on a nationwide strike over the dismissal of workers by Dangote refinery, despite a court verdict halting the industrial action.

The association said the refinery laid off over 800 workers, noting that the Iy was working to “resolve” the issue.

Following widespread speculation on the matter, the Dangote refinery later confirmed sacking some workers, saying that “only a small number were affected”.

The refinery described the job cuts as a reorganisation exercise.

Threatening to also embark on a strike, the Trade Union Congress (TUC) of Nigeria called on the management of the Dangote refinery to reverse the employment termination.

Earlier on Wednesday, after the federal government’s intervention, the Dangote Group agreed to redeploy the workers sacked by its subsidiary, Dangote refinery.