Strike: FG Beg PENGASSAN Over Dangote Wahala, Truce Meeting Go Hold Monday

Minister of Labour and Employment, Muhammad Dingyadi, don beg PENGASSAN make dem calm down over the issue wey dem get with Dangote Refinery, say the Ministry don already dey work to bring both sides come roundtable make dem no allow the fight escalate pass this level. Inside one statement wey the Head of Information and Public Relations for the Ministry, Patience Onuobia, sign, Dingyadi talk say dem don already send invite to both PENGASSAN leaders and Dangote Refinery management make dem show face for emergency meeting wey go happen for him office on Monday to settle the matter. The Minister come beg PENGASSAN say make dem cancel the strike wey dem don declare so that the Ministry go fit settle the matter in peace and without any wahala. As he continue talk, Dingyadi talk say: “The Ministry of Labour and Employment through the Director of Trade Union Services and Industrial Relations don send invite give the leadership of PENGASSAN and the management of Dangote Refinery to come for conciliation meeting for my office on Monday. I dey beg both sides make dem remember how important the petroleum sector be to Nigeria economy. Strike now go cause serious revenue loss for the country and bring more suffering for Nigerians. E go still shake our economic stability and national security.” The Minister beg the two sides make dem give peace a chance, say Federal Government ready to settle the matter in a way wey go favour everybody and serve the interest of the country.

For circular wey PENGASSAN release after emergency National Executive Council meeting on Saturday, dem direct all their members across Nigeria to stop work because Dangote Refinery allegedly sack plenty Nigerian workers just because dem join union. PENGASSAN accuse Dangote Refinery say the company break Nigeria labour laws, Constitution and even International Labour Organisation (ILO) conventions by sacking workers wey join the union. The union claim say the refinery replace the sacked workers with “over 2,000 Indians,” and call the action “insult to all Nigerian workers.” Dem tell all their members for field locations to begin strike from Sunday and order total shutdown of operations for all offices, companies, institutions, and agencies from Monday.

As response to wetin PENGASSAN talk, Dangote Refinery say the recent sack of workers na part of company reorganisation wey aim to stop repeated sabotage. Dem deny say the action na by force or just anyhow, and say e dey necessary to protect safety and improve how the refinery dey run. For statement wey Dangote Refinery management sign on Friday, dem talk say: “This exercise no be anyhow or without reason. E don become necessary to protect the refinery from repeated sabotage wey don cause safety wahala and reduce how the refinery dey function properly.” Dangote Refinery and oil & gas unions don dey get issues recently over labour rights, safety matters, and how product dey reach market, among other problems.