The Federal Government has called on the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) to suspend its planned industrial strike set to begin on Monday over a dispute with Dangote Refinery.
The Minister of Labour and Employment, Muhammad Dingyadi, made this appeal in a statement released on Sunday. According to him, the Ministry has already initiated moves to prevent the crisis from escalating by bringing both parties to the negotiation table.
Patience Onuobia, Head of Information and Public Relations at the Ministry of Labour, confirmed that invitations have been sent to the leadership of PENGASSAN and the management of Dangote Refinery. Both parties are expected to attend an emergency conciliation meeting at the minister’s office on Monday.
“The Ministry of Labour and Employment, through the Director of Trade Union Services and Industrial Relations, has extended invitations to the leadership of PENGASSAN and the management of Dangote Refinery to attend a conciliation meeting in my office on Monday,” Dingyadi said.
He further stressed the need for both parties to consider the critical role of the petroleum sector in Nigeria’s economy. According to him, an indefinite strike would not only cause heavy revenue losses but also increase the hardship faced by millions of Nigerians.
“A strike at this time will disrupt economic stability, worsen national security challenges, and deepen the suffering of the masses,” he warned.
The emergency meeting is expected to determine whether PENGASSAN will proceed with the strike or accept dialogue as the path forward.
