No Agreement Signed with Dangote Refinery, Strike Could Resume – PENGASSAN
The Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) has clarified that it did not sign the communiqué that led to the suspension of its nationwide strike against the Dangote Refinery.
Although the union paused its industrial action on Wednesday following the Federal Government’s intervention, PENGASSAN maintains that key issues remain unresolved.
The strike, which began on Sunday, was triggered by allegations that the Dangote Refinery unlawfully terminated the employment of over 800 Nigerian workers and replaced them with more than 2,000 Indian nationals.
Addressing journalists in Abuja on Wednesday, PENGASSAN President Festus Osifo warned that the union may resume the strike without prior notice if the refinery fails to implement the agreed resolutions.
Osifo admitted there were still “grey areas” in the discussions but said the strike was suspended in good faith, prioritising the well-being of affected members.
Appearing on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief on Thursday, Osifo clarified that the communiqué presented during the meeting was not a formal agreement.
“If you look at that communiqué, we did not sign it. Ideally, all three parties involved should have signed it. We refused because certain parts were not acceptable to us,” he said.
He also dismissed media claims that the union was primarily concerned with check-off dues, insisting that their focus was on getting members back to work and restoring their livelihoods.
“Our priority was ensuring that our members could return to work and continue providing for their families,” he added.
PENGASSAN is demanding the immediate reinstatement of the sacked workers. Osifo revealed that the refinery initially refused to reabsorb them until the Federal Government intervened and advocated for a resolution. He also debunked Dangote Group’s claims that the dismissed employees were involved in sabotage.
“The statement by Dangote accusing the workers of sabotaging the economy was completely inaccurate. If that narrative had stood, it would have damaged those 800 workers' futures. Clearing their names was a major victory for us,” Osifo stated.
He emphasised that the union's actions are rooted in the defence of workers’ rights, particularly the right to freedom of association, and are not driven by self-interest.
Osifo concluded with a strong warning:
“If Dangote fails to act accordingly, we will not hesitate to resume the strike. Our tools are always ready. We’ve been fighting for workers' rights for over 50 years—long before the Dangote Refinery came into existence.”
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