Oil Union Suspends Strike, Urges Dangote Refinery To Honour Agreement

The Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) has suspended its nationwide onslaught against the Dangote Group aft respective days of disruptions crossed the lipid and state sector.

The concern action, which began connected Sunday, September 28, was triggered by the dismissal of much than 800 workers who had voluntarily joined the union.

Speaking astatine a briefing successful Abuja yesterday, PENGASSAN president, Comrade Festus Osifo, explained that the national decided to suspend the onslaught retired of respect for the institutions of authorities and the mediation effort that stretched into the aboriginal hours of Wednesday.

The national said it was not satisfied with the presumption of the five-point resolutions earlier signed by the Minister of Labour and Employment, Mohammed Maigari Dingyadi.

According to Osifo, portion PENGASSAN had beardown doubts that Dangote would honour the presumption of the resolution, the national resolved to show bully religion by suspending the action.

“If you spot that communique, it was signed by lone the authorities due to the fact that we were not satisfied with immoderate of the things successful that communique.

However, aft examining the communique, we saw galore grey areas and loopholes, which we communicated to the government. They assured america that they would beryllium connected apical of this. They told america that we should not interest that they would beryllium connected apical of it,” helium said.

“We recognize that Dangote does not respect the rules of engagement. We genuinely don’t judge helium volition support to his broadside of the bargain. Still, due to the fact that we person respect for institutions, due to the fact that we person respect for government, due to the fact that we person respect for processes and procedures, and due to the fact that of those successful authorities who sat up till astir 4 a.m. this greeting to effort and resoluteness this subject, the NEC has decided to perceive to them”, helium added.

The national person emphasised that the suspension was conditional.

“Remember, we are suspending, and we volition beryllium monitoring. We volition intimately travel immoderate gaffe connected the portion of Dangote, immoderate portion of this agreement, oregon immoderate portion of this communique arsenic enactment up by the Ministry of Labour that is broken. We volition not springiness immoderate notice. We volition not springiness immoderate warning. We volition resume the suspended concern enactment immediately,” helium warned.

Osifo expressed appreciation to the authorities officials who stepped successful to broker peace.

“We convey the National Security Advisor who took the bull by the horns. We besides privation to convey the DGDSS, who were pursuing up connected these issues and were determination till the aboriginal hours of today. Of course, the Chief Reconciliator of the Federation, the Minister of Labour and Employment, supported by the Minister of Finance and the Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, and each the captains of industries, each the captains of the agencies wrong the Petroleum Ministry, not leaving retired the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Petroleum,” helium said.