PENGASSAN Denies Signing Deal With Dangote Refinery, Threatens Fresh Strike

The Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) has stated that it did not sign the communiqué that led to the suspension of its nationwide strike against the Dangote Refinery.

Although the union suspended its industrial action on Wednesday after Federal Government intervention, PENGASSAN maintained that several of its demands remain unresolved. The strike, which began on Sunday, was triggered by the alleged illegal dismissal of over 800 Nigerian workers and their replacement with more than 2,000 Indians.

Speaking at a press conference in Abuja, PENGASSAN President Festus Osifo warned that the strike could resume at any time if the refinery failed to meet the resolutions reached. He admitted there were “grey areas” in the communiqué, adding that the union suspended the strike in good faith.

On Channels Television’s The Morning Brief, Osifo clarified: “If you see that communiqué, we did not sign it. Normally, it is supposed to be signed by three parties. We did not sign because we felt that some things in it were not okay with us.” He explained that the document was essentially a statement from the Minister of Labour and Employment, Muhammadu Dingyadi, who acted as conciliator.

“When we subjected it to our NEC, we had to decide on priorities. Some media houses claimed we were only interested in check-off dues. That is false. What we prioritised was how our members would return to work and provide for their families,” he said.

Osifo insisted that reinstating the sacked workers remained PENGASSAN’s priority. He dismissed Dangote’s earlier claim that the employees were sabotaging the economy, describing it as baseless. “The release that Dangote made on workers sabotaging the economy was totally incorrect. If we had allowed that sabotage tag to stand, those 800 people would not be able to secure jobs in the future. That stigma would remain forever. Clearing that was a very big win. We are not perturbed in any way.”

He further emphasised that the struggle was not for personal gain but to defend Nigerian workers’ rights. Warning of possible renewed action, Osifo declared: “If Dangote does not do the needful, our tools are always available. We will never get tired of struggling for what is right. We have been around for 50 years before the Dangote Refinery came on stream.”