The Federal Government has announced that staff earlier withdrawn from the operations of Dangote Petroleum Refinery will be reassigned within the Dangote Group following the resolution of its dispute with the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN).
Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr. Mohammed Maigari Dingyadi, disclosed this in Abuja on Wednesday, confirming that no worker would suffer loss of salary or be victimised over their role in the standoff.
“After examining the procedure used in the disengagement of workers, the meeting agreed that management shall immediately redeploy the disengaged staff to other companies within the Dangote Group, with no loss of pay. Unionisation is a right of workers under Nigerian law, and this right should be respected,” the minister said.
As part of the compromise, PENGASSAN agreed to call off its strike action, which had halted crude oil and gas supplies to the refinery and sparked concerns about possible disruptions to Nigeria’s energy supply.
The dispute began when the union accused the refinery management of mass transfers, unfair dismissals of union members, and replacing some Nigerian staff with foreign workers. PENGASSAN argued that these actions violated labour laws and undermined local employment rights.
However, Dangote Refinery management denied the allegations, insisting the workforce restructuring was purely operational and not linked to union activities.
Talks had previously broken down earlier in the week, but government intervention helped both sides to reach an understanding. Officials warned that the strike posed a risk to energy security and economic stability, making a quick resolution necessary.
The reconciliation now paves the way for industrial harmony while ensuring the refinery continues to operate without further disruption.
Report by: Praise Ekrika | Edited by: Chris Odjomah