97
By Oscar Okhifo
A group of prominent Nigerians, including the Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Diocese, Matthew Hassan Kukah; the Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II; and former Presidential Adviser, Ibrahim Dahiru Waziri, have stepped in to mediate the ongoing standoff between the management of Dangote Refinery and the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN).
The intervention follows mounting tension over the alleged dismissal of more than 800 workers by the refinery’s management after they joined the union.
PENGASSAN accused Dangote Refinery of replacing the affected staff with foreign nationals, mainly Indians, under the guise of a reorganisation exercise.
In response, the union directed its members to cut off crude oil and gas supply to the refinery, disrupting operations and sparking fears of fuel scarcity nationwide.
Dangote Refinery, however, denied the allegations, insisting that only a few workers were affected over “acts of sabotage,” adding that the move was part of a legitimate internal restructuring to improve efficiency.
The industrial action, which briefly crippled operations at the 650,000-barrel-per-day facility, reportedly caused Nigeria’s daily oil production to drop by about 16 percent and disrupted power generation and export shipments.
In a joint statement on Tuesday , 6th of October, Bishop Kukah, Sanusi, Waziri, Atedo Peterside, Aisha Yesufu, Arunma Oteh, Osita Chidoka, and Opeyemi Adamolekun, among others, expressed deep concern over the development, warning that prolonged confrontation could erode investors’ confidence and worsen economic instability.
They urged both parties to embrace dialogue and reconciliation, stressing that the Dangote Refinery represents “a national symbol of what bold local entrepreneurship can achieve” and should not be allowed to become a casualty of labour strife.
According to them, protecting workers’ rights, maintaining industrial peace, and upholding corporate responsibility are critical to sustaining Nigeria’s economic growth.
Meanwhile, the House of Representatives Committee on Downstream Petroleum has also waded into the crisis, urging PENGASSAN to suspend its supply cut directive and calling on the refinery’s management to respect labour rights.
The committee gave itself two weeks to mediate and resolve the dispute.
Following government intervention, PENGASSAN on October 1 suspended its strike after reaching an agreement with the Dangote Group and the Ministry of Labour.
Under the terms of the deal, the affected workers are to be redeployed within the Dangote Group without loss of pay.
The Labour Ministry reaffirmed the constitutional right of workers to unionize and called on both parties to sustain peace in the interest of national development.