The management of Dangote Petroleum Refinery has publicly expressed appreciation to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and top government officials for their role in resolving the recent industrial dispute between the refinery and the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN).
In a statement released on Sunday, the company described the actions of PENGASSAN as “disruptive” and thanked the President for his decisive intervention, which it says helped prevent significant operational setbacks at the facility.
“Dangote Refinery is grateful to the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Bola Tinubu, for his intervention, through his ministers and senior officials, which resulted in the abatement of the disruptive actions of PENGASSAN against the Refinery,” the statement read.
The refinery also extended gratitude to the Office of the National Security Adviser (NSA), the Ministers of Labour and Employment, and other high-ranking officials who played critical roles in mediating the standoff.
Labour Tensions Resolved After High-Level Talks
The federal government last week confirmed that the dispute, which threatened to disrupt operations at Africa’s largest refinery, had been fully resolved following high-level mediation led by the Minister of Labour and Employment, Mohammed Dingyadi.
The resolution came after an earlier conciliation attempt ended in a deadlock. Talks were later moved to the Office of the National Security Adviser, where all parties agreed on a path forward.
Attendees at the reconciliation meeting included:
- Wale Edun, Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy
- Senator Atiku Bagudu, Minister of Budget and Economic Planning
- Nkiruka Onyejeocha, Minister of State for Labour and Employment
- Senior officials from the DSS, NIA, and the Ministry of Petroleum Resources
Strike Action Over Alleged Sack of Workers
The dispute was triggered by allegations that over 800 Nigerian workers had been laid off by the refinery, sparking threats by PENGASSAN to cut gas supply and withdraw services nationwide. The union also demanded the right to unionise workers at the refinery, a point of contention during the standoff.
Following the intervention, PENGASSAN suspended its strike, effectively averting a nationwide escalation.
Dangote: We Will Not Be Deterred by Saboteurs
Dangote Refinery, in its statement, praised its workers for maintaining full operational stability throughout the dispute, stating that “not a second of production was lost” despite the tension.
“To our loyal workers, who ensured that our operations were not disrupted even for a second, we thank and appreciate you.”
The company also thanked Nigerians for their overwhelming support and words of encouragement during the crisis.
“You gave us hope and reinforced our belief in the Nigerian nation and people as the backbone of our enterprise.”
Dangote reaffirmed its commitment to Nigeria’s energy future and stated that no external forces would derail its mission.
“Our commitment to the Nigerian nation and our pact with its people remain undiluted, undiminished, and unalterable notwithstanding the distractions from detractors and saboteurs.”
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