Why we suspended nationwide strike – PENGASSAN President Osifo

The President of the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN), Festus Osifo, has explained why the union suspended its nationwide strike against Dangote Refinery.

During a press briefing on Wednesday, Osifo disclosed that the industrial action was discontinued out of respect for the Nigerian government and Nigerians.

Not satisfied with the truce, the association said, “We are not happy with the terms of the agreement because it did not capture our main demand of recalling the 800 sacked Nigerians. But out of respect for government institutions, for the National Security Adviser, the Department of State Services (DSS), the Chief Reconciliator of the Federation, and ministers who worked tirelessly into the early hours of the morning to mediate, we decided to suspend the action.”

Osifo, however, warned, “If Dangote fails to keep its part, we will resume immediately, without any warning.”

PENGASSAN suspended its two-day strike following the intervention of the Federal Government.

Part of the agreement reached is that Dangote Refinery would reabsorb the sacked workers, which was the primary basis for the strike action.

Recall that gas and crude supply had been cut from Dangote Refinery after PENGASSAN declared a strike on Sunday.

The action had affected the 650,000-barrel-per-day refinery and Nigeria’s oil downstream sector, prompting intervention by the Federal Government through the Ministry of Labour and Employment.

Last week, Dangote Refinery reported that it had sacked over 800 workers for voluntarily joining PENGASSAN.