The federal government on Wednesday said the industrial dispute between the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association (PENGASSAN) and the management of the Dangote Petroleum Refinery has been resolved.
PENGASSAN and the private refinery had been at loggerheads over unresolved labour issues, including unionisation and the sacking of over 800 Nigerian workers by the management of the refinery.
In a communiqué signed by the Minister of Labour and Employment, Mr Mohammed Dingyadi, it was stated that the issue has been put to bed, noting that unionisation is a right of workers, backed by Nigerian laws, and should be respected.
Recall that over 800 Nigerian workers were reportedly sacked by the private refinery, calling it a reorganisation aimed at preventing intermittent cases of sabotage.
Earlier this week, members of the union barricaded the premises of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited, Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), and Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) in Abuja in compliance with the directives from its national executive committee for a nationwide industrial action.
The labour minister stated that no worker would be victimised following their role in the disagreement between the Dangote Refinery and PENGASSAN.
The minister also stated that the Dangote Group shall “immediately start the process of moving the disengaged workers to other companies within the Dangote Group, “with no loss of pay”.
“The 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 Group 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,” the communiqué partly read.
The Minister also disclosed that PENGASSAN agreed to start the process of calling off the ongoing strike.
“Both parties agreed to this understanding in good faith,” he added.
The meeting follows the notice to stop gas supply to Dangote Petroleum Refinery and the withdrawal of services by PENGASSAN.
Also present at the conciliation meeting held at the office of the National Security Adviser were the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun; Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Senator Atiku Bagudu; and the Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Nkiruka Onyejeocha.
Others were the Director General of the Department of State Services (DSS), Director General of the National Intelligence Agency (NIA), and Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Gas), represented by the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Petroleum Resources.
Also in attendance were the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment; Chief Executives of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) and the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), representatives of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), and the leadership of the Trade Union Congress.