ABUJA – In a dramatic turn of events, the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) has suspended its nationwide strike action following a late-night intervention by the Federal Government. The industrial action, triggered by the mass sack of over 800 workers at the Dangote Refinery and Petrochemical Company, had threatened to paralyze Nigeria’s oil and gas sector.
Announcing the suspension on Wednesday in Abuja, PENGASSAN President, Festus Osifo, declared that the union was yielding “out of respect for the government and the Nigerian people,” but swiftly warned that any breach of agreement by the Dangote management would bring the workers back to the trenches.
> “We understand that Dangote does not respect the rules of engagement, and frankly, we do not fully trust that he will honor his own side of the bargain. But because we respect institutions, government, and the painstaking efforts of officials who negotiated till almost 4 a.m., the NEC has decided to suspend the strike,” Osifo said.
He stressed that contrary to public misconceptions, the strike was never about check-off dues but about defending the rights of young oil and gas workers who had voluntarily joined the union only to be “unceremoniously thrown out” of employment.
The suspension followed marathon negotiations which shifted to the Office of the National Security Adviser (NSA) after initial talks collapsed. The truce was reportedly brokered under intense pressure, with the Minister of Labour and Employment, Mohammad Maigari Dingyadi, signing a communique on behalf of the government.
However, Osifo revealed that the union refused to append its signature to the document, citing “loopholes and grey areas” that raised doubts about Dangote’s sincerity.
> “We saw a lot of grey areas in that communique, and we made our objections known. The government has assured us that they will stay on top of it, but we remain vigilant. If Dangote reneges, we will return to the battlefield without hesitation,” he warned.
PENGASSAN also called on the Federal Government to prevail on Dangote to honor the agreement, warning that any betrayal could ignite a wider confrontation in the oil and gas sector.
For now, oil workers are back on duty, but the atmosphere remains tense as the nation waits to see if the fragile peace will hold.
PIONEER NEWS 