A NATIONWIDE strike by the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) on Monday completely paralysed operations at the Ministry of Petroleum Resources and all its key agencies, as the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) dramatically escalated the industrial dispute by ordering its entire affiliate base to mobilise for action against the Dangote Group.
The twin developments have significantly heightened the stakes in a conflict centred on the Dangote Petroleum Refinery, prompting an urgent intervention by the Federal Government.
Checks by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja revealed a scene of widespread disruption as staff of the Ministry of Petroleum Resources and its numerous parastatals were locked out of their offices by striking PENGASSAN members.
The headquarters of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd.) and the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NMDPRA) had their main entrance gates locked and barricaded.
A similar fate befell the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC) and the Petroleum Technology Development Fund (PTDF), effectively grinding official activities to a halt.
At the entrance gates of these agencies, security personnel and union members were seen strictly enforcing the strike directive.
An official of PENGASSAN at the NNPC Ltd., who spoke on condition of anonymity, confirmed the total shutdown of the company in compliance with the union’s directive, stating that no one was being allowed to gain entrance.
The industrial action was triggered by the alleged sack of about 800 workers at the Dangote Refinery, who are said to be members of PENGASSAN.
The union has also accused the refinery’s management of engaging in anti-labour practices and discrimination against local employees.
In a decisive move, PENGASSAN had directed its members to immediately halt the supply of crude oil and gas to the Dangote Petroleum Refinery and instructed field personnel to down tools.
The Dangote Refinery has defended its position, stating that the termination of the workers’ appointments was due to “repeated acts of sabotage that had raised significant safety concerns and affected operational efficiency.”
NLC Throws Its Weight Behind PENGASSAN
In a major escalation, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has now entered the fray, directing all its affiliate unions to commence immediate mobilisation and preparations for a full-scale industrial action against the Dangote Group.
The directive was contained in an internal memo signed by NLC President, Comrade Joe Ajaero, on Monday in Abuja.
Comrade Ajaero stated that the order was prompted by what the congress described as the Dangote Group’s “anti-worker crusade” against Nigerian workers.
He alleged that the conglomerate was consistently violating Section 40 of the Nigerian Constitution and International Labour Organisation (ILO) Conventions 87 and 98, which protect workers’ rights to association and unionisation.
“The impunity of the Dangote Group must be met with resistance. Each affiliate should establish an Action Mobilisation Committee and liaise with the NLC Secretariat within 72 hours,” Ajaero declared.
He placed all affiliates on “full alert,” mandating them to begin vigorous unionisation drives in all Dangote facilities within their areas of jurisdiction.
The NLC President urged affiliates to mobilise resources and members for a nationwide action, stressing that “unity of purpose and collective resolve were non-negotiable.”
Government Intervention Underway
With the nation’s vital oil and gas sector facing a potential crisis, Nigerians are now awaiting the outcome of a conciliatory meeting being convened by the Minister of Labour and Employment, Muhammad Dingyadi.
The meeting aims to reconcile the warring parties and prevent the dispute from escalating further, as the combined force of PENGASSAN’s ongoing strike and the NLC’s looming nationwide action threatens to significantly disrupt economic activities.
