By Peterside Rejoice Eneky
The Federal Government has waded into the crisis between Dangote Petroleum Refinery and the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN), following the nationwide strike declared by oil and gas workers on Sunday.
The strike, which disrupted operations across the sector, was triggered by the alleged sack of over 800 Nigerian workers at the refinery and their replacement with Indians. PENGASSAN insisted that only the unconditional recall of the affected workers would end the action.
Minister of Labour and Employment, Muhammad Maigari Dingyadi, has already summoned both parties to a conciliation meeting scheduled for today in his office. He appealed to PENGASSAN to suspend the strike in the interest of peace, warning that a prolonged shutdown would worsen economic hardship, disrupt fuel supply and threaten national security.
Dangote Petroleum Refinery, in its reaction, accused PENGASSAN of serial sabotage of Nigeria’s oil and gas sector. The company alleged that the union has a history of frustrating reforms and warned that its directive to cut off crude oil and gas supplies amounted to economic sabotage. It maintained that the refinery remained one of Nigeria’s biggest private employers and contributors to tax revenues.
However, PENGASSAN’s General Secretary, Comrade Lumumba Okugbawa, dismissed the refinery’s claims, stressing that the action was about protecting workers’ rights to unionise. He warned that the union would ensure a complete shutdown of crude and gas operations if their demands were ignored.
The Trade Union Congress (TUC) has also declared full support for PENGASSAN, placing its members nationwide on red alert for possible escalation. Similarly, the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) urged both parties to embrace dialogue, warning that the dispute could destabilise energy supply.
Meanwhile, the Concerned Nigerian Consumers Forum accused PENGASSAN of plotting to sabotage the refinery and plunge the country back into fuel scarcity. The group said the Dangote Refinery remained Nigeria’s best hope for energy independence and must be protected.
Already, the strike has paralysed activities in several oil facilities, with reports of soldiers preventing union members from shutting down critical crude and gas supplies.
The outcome of today’s emergency meeting is expected to determine whether the nationwide strike will persist or be suspended.
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