FG Steps In To Mediate Dangote Refinery Dispute With PENGASSAN

Officials from Dangote Petroleum Refinery, along with representatives of the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN), are participating in a reconciliation meeting convened by the Federal Government.

According to reports, PENGASSAN members, led by President Festus Osifo, and officials from Dangote refinery management gathered in the conference room of the Minister of Labour and Employment for the scheduled discussions. Also in attendance were the Minister of Labour and Employment, Mohammed Dingyadi, and the Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Nkiruka Onyejeocha.

The meeting comes amid an ongoing dispute between the union and the refinery management over unresolved labor issues. The disagreement escalated after the alleged dismissal of 800 Nigerian workers, prompting PENGASSAN to declare a nationwide strike.

On Monday, union members blocked the premises of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) in Abuja, following directives from the association’s national executive committee. Similar actions were reported at the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA) and the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), where staff obstructed access to their offices in protest.