By Ayomide Otitoju
The reconciliation meeting between the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) and the management of Dangote Petroleum Refinery over an ongoing industrial dispute ended in a stalemate on Tuesday.
The meeting, convened by the Federal Government, commenced at about 4 p.m. on Monday and dragged on for nine hours before breaking off in the early hours of Tuesday without resolution. Minister of Labour and Employment, Mohammed Dingyadi, and Minister of State, Nkiruka Onyejeocha, presided over the talks. Dingyadi later announced that negotiations would resume by 2 p.m. Tuesday.
PENGASSAN President, Festus Osifo, led the union’s delegation, while Dangote Refinery officials represented management at the session held at the ministry’s conference room.
Meanwhile, the nationwide strike ordered by PENGASSAN gathered momentum on Monday as members barricaded the headquarters of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) in Abuja, as well as offices of oil and gas regulators. Protesters, chanting solidarity songs, blocked access to the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) and the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC).
The union is protesting the dismissal of over 800 Nigerian workers by Dangote Refinery, describing it as a violation of labour laws, the Constitution, and International Labour Organisation (ILO) conventions. According to the union, the workers were sacked for joining PENGASSAN.
Dangote Refinery, however, defended the action, insisting it was part of a reorganisation to prevent sabotage, enhance safety, and boost operational efficiency. The company denied that the dismissals were arbitrary.
