- Safiu Kehinde
The Petroleum and Natural Gass Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) has called its strike action triggered by the reported mass sack of more than 800 Nigerian workers by Dangote Petrochemicals and Fertiliser Limited.
NPO Reported that the Dangote Group had allegedly sacked the workers over their membership with the PENGASSAN.
While the refinery had since refuted the claim, clarifying that the workers were sacked over what it described as “repeated acts of sabotage that have raised safety concerns and affected operational efficiency”, the labour union embarked on strike action last week.
This had led to the intervention of the Federal Government which initially proved abortive.
Eventually, the FG brokered a truce between both parties.
In the wake of the truce the PENGASSAN President, Festus Osifo, formally declared an end to the strike.
He however warned that the union will resume strike action if Dangote Group defaults in the agreement.
Osifo stated this during a news conference at the end of the union’s National Executive Council (NEC) meeting, on Wednesday to assess government’s intervention in the prolonged industrial dispute.
“Let it be known clearly that if there is any slip or breach in implementing this agreement, we shall immediately resume our suspended nationwide industrial action,” He warned.
The PENGASSAN President described the dismissals as an attack on workers’ constitutional rights and a violation of Nigeria’s obligations under International Labour Organisation (ILO) conventions protecting freedom of association.
He said NEC decided to suspend the strike out of respect for institutions, in spite of serious concerns over loopholes in the government-brokered agreement reached with Dangote management.
“Even with our doubts about Dangote’s sincerity, we have chosen the moral high ground. Nigerians must see PENGASSAN as patriotic, law-abiding and committed to sustaining national economic stability,” he stated.
Osifo said the union’s main demand was full reinstatement of the affected workers, but government instead opted for redeployment within related companies owned by the Dangote Group.
“Our position was simple: bring them back to their original jobs. Government proposed a middle ground instead, and that remains our greatest reservation with the settlement,” He explained.
The PENGASSAN President added that the union accepted the compromise reluctantly, noting that the most important thing now was to get the affected workers back to earning and feeding their families.
However, Osifo made it clear that PENGASSAN would not be misled by unfulfilled promises or prolonged delays.
“We will not wait endlessly if nothing happens.
“We suspended the action in good faith to respect government. But the moment we detect any foul play or gimmicks, we will return to the trenches immediately,” he said.