Updated: PENGASSAN Suspends Strike After Agreement with Dangote, Details Emerge

• Oil workers under PENGASSAN have suspended the industrial action embarked upon on Sunday, September 28
• The decision followed the Dangote Group’s agreement to unionisation and to recall 800 dismissed refinery workers
• The union warned that if the agreement is not fully honoured, the strike will resume without prior notice

Legit.ng journalist Dave Ibemere has over a decade of experience in business journalism, with in-depth knowledge of the Nigerian economy, stocks, and general market trends.

Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) has decided to suspend its strike after the Dangote Group agreed to unionisation and to willingness to recall 800 refinery workers who were recently dismissed.

Festus Osifo, president of PENGASSAN, disclosed this to journalists on Wednesday, October 1.

Osifo said the decision aims to allow the process of reinstating the dismissed workers from the Dangote refinery to proceed, as all parties have agreed.

According to him the union’s National Executive Council resolved to put the industrial action on hold following the intervention of the federal government.

He noted that the suspension serves as a gesture of respect for the Federal Government's persistent efforts in addressing and resolving this dispute.

However he warned that if the agreement is not uphold the strike will resume.

He said:

"“We are suspending and monitoring closely. 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; or warning we will resume the suspended strike immediately.”

FG broker peace between Dangote, PENGASSAN

Maigari Dingyadi, Labour Minister Mohammed said in a statement that Dangote will reinstate the affected staff into other companies within the group without any loss of pay, adding that no worker would be victimised for participating in the dispute.

The government’s mediation team included the National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu, Finance Minister Wale Edun, Budget and Economic Planning Minister Abubakar Atiku Bagudu, and security chiefs.

The communique issued after the meeting, signed by Dingyadi, stated in part:

“After a lengthy discussion, the matter was resolved as follows:

“The Honourable Minister of Labour informed the meeting that unionisation is a right of workers in accordance with the laws of Nigeria and that this right should be respected.

“After examining the procedure used in the disengagement of workers, the meeting agreed that the management of Dangote shall immediately start the process of taking the disengaged staff to other companies within the Dangote Group, with no loss of pay.

“No worker will be victimised arising from their role in the impasse between Dangote and PENGASSAN. PENGASSAN agreed to start the process of calling off the strike.

“Both parties agreed to this understanding in good faith.”

PENGASSAN strike sparks fuel scarcity

Earlier, Legit.ng reported that the strike by PENGASSAN led to the return of black market petrol sellers in Abuja.

When reporters visited fuel stations in the Central Business District and Wuse area, many of them were locked, including NNPC and independent outlets.

Other major stations like TotalEnergies in Wuse and NNPC stations in Zone 4 were also not selling fuel.

Source: Legit.ng