The Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) has clarified that it did not enter into any agreement before calling off its recent nationwide strike against Dangote Refinery.
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Speaking on Thursday during an interview with Channels Television, PENGASSAN President, Festus Osifo, explained that the communiqué read at the meeting with the Ministry of Labour and Employment was not an agreement. He stressed that it was only a message from the minister and was never endorsed by the union.
Osifo said PENGASSAN refused to sign the document because the terms were unsatisfactory, adding that the communiqué was supposed to carry the signatures of all three parties involved. He maintained that the union’s major demand remains the reinstatement of over 800 dismissed workers, dismissing reports that the protest was mainly about check-off dues.
He also faulted allegations by Dangote that the disengaged staff sabotaged the refinery, describing the claims as “totally incorrect.” According to him, one of the major achievements so far is clearing the workers of such accusations.
Looking ahead, Osifo warned that the union could resume its strike if the company fails to keep its promises. He stressed that PENGASSAN, which has been in existence for more than five decades, would remain committed to defending the rights and welfare of its members.
