PENGASSAN, Dangote Reconciliation Meeting Ends in Deadlock
The meeting between the delegation of the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association and the management of the Dangote Petroleum Refinery over the lingering industrial dispute ended in a deadlock. The reconciliation meeting, called by the Federal Government, started at approximately 4 p.m. on Monday. The meeting, attended by the Minister of Labour and Employment, Mohammed Dingyadi, and the Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Nkiruka Onyejeocha, lasted for about nine hours into the early hours of Tuesday. Following the stalemate, Dingyadi said the meeting would reconvene to resolve the deadlock at 2 p.m. on Tuesday. The Federal Government, worried about the potential impact of the dispute on the nation’s economy and energy security, had summoned both sides to the negotiating table following reports of widespread discontent. The rift stems from allegations by PENGASSAN that Dangote Refinery had embarked on the mass transfer and sack of union members. Also, he allegedly replaced some Nigerians with foreign nationals, a claim the company has consistently denied. The session, originally scheduled for 2 p.m., began around 3:50 p.m. due to the late arrival of key stakeholders, before moving into a closed-door discussion that lasted several hours. In his opening remarks, Dingyadi underscored the gravity of the situation. “What’s happening today is very dear to our economy and to the security of the country. We have been informed that PENGASSAN is on strike,” he said. The minister appealed to both parties to demonstrate good faith in dialogue, stressing that industrial peace in the oil and gas sector was critical at a time Nigeria is banking on the Dangote Refinery to boost local refining capacity and reduce dependence on imported petroleum products. The deadlock means tension remains high, with PENGASSAN insisting its members will not return to work until alleged anti-labour practices are reversed, while Dangote Refinery maintains that its restructuring exercise is in line with global best practices. As the stalemate lingers, concerns are mounting about the potential disruption of operations at the refinery and the ripple effect on petroleum product supply across the country. The next round of talks later today is expected to determine whether a compromise can be reached to avert a full-blown industrial crisis in Niger ia’s oil and gas industry.