JUST IN: PENGASSAN Sh*cks Nigerians, Denies Signing Deal With Dangote To End Strike

The Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) has rejected claims that it endorsed the federal government’s communiqué announcing the suspension of its nationwide strike against Dangote Refinery, insisting it never signed the document.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

The union, which halted its industrial action on Wednesday, October 1, following government intervention, maintained that the core issues—particularly the fate of over 800 sacked workers—remain unresolved.

Speaking on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief on Thursday, October 2, PENGASSAN President, Festus Osifo, clarified that the communiqué circulated after negotiations was not a binding agreement.

“If you look at that communiqué, you’ll see we did not sign it. Normally, it should carry the signatures of all three parties. We withheld ours because we were not satisfied with certain aspects,” Osifo stated.

He explained that the document was merely a statement issued by the Minister of Labour and Employment, who acted as conciliator during the talks.

Union’s Core Demand: Reinstatement of Sacked Workers

Osifo stressed that PENGASSAN’s fight was about protecting the future of the disengaged employees, not union dues.

“Dangote’s claim that workers sabotaged the economy was false. If that tag stood, those 800 people would be blacklisted in the industry. Clearing their names was a major victory,” he said.

“Our position is clear—take the people back to the refinery. That is all we asked for.”

The strike, which began on Sunday, had crippled parts of the oil and gas sector, with workers barricading the NNPC headquarters and other key regulatory offices in Abuja. The Federal Government swiftly intervened, with Labour Minister Mohammed Dingyadi and the National Security Adviser mediating late-night negotiations.

At the end of the talks, Dingyadi announced that the disengaged workers would be redeployed to Dangote Group subsidiaries without loss of pay.

“Unionisation is a legal right of workers. No one will be victimised for participating in this dispute,” the minister assured.

Dangote, Court, and TUC Weigh In

Dangote Refinery, however, denied wrongdoing, insisting that the restructuring was aimed at safety and efficiency. The company added that only a small fraction of its 3,000 Nigerian employees were affected, warning that PENGASSAN’s actions threatened national fuel supplies.

The industrial clash also spilled into the courts, as the National Industrial Court in Abuja issued a seven-day interim injunction stopping PENGASSAN from continuing the strike. Justice Emmanuel Subilim ruled that further disruptions would cause “irreparable damage,” and adjourned the case to October 13.

Despite the ruling, Osifo warned that the union could resume its strike without notice if Dangote reneged on resolutions.

“Our tools are always ready. PENGASSAN has existed for 50 years before the Dangote Refinery, and we will not relent in fighting for justice,” he declared.

Meanwhile, the Trade Union Congress (TUC) threw its weight behind PENGASSAN, accusing Dangote of sidelining Nigerian workers in favour of foreigners.

TUC Secretary-General, Nuhu Toro, said:

“We stand firmly with the affected workers. No corporation will be allowed to trample on the rights of Nigerians.”