Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja

The Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) has suspended its three-day-old industrial action following an agreement brokered by the Federal government.

In the agreement signed by PENGASSAN and the Dangote Refinery Group on Tuesday night, the company agreed to reabsorb the over 800 staff who had been sacked for allegedly joining PENGASSAN.

Addressing a media briefing in Abuja yesterday, PENGASSAN President, Festus Osifo, said the National Executive Council (NEC) of the union met and resolved to suspend the strike as a mark of respect to the sacrifices made by the federal government and other stakeholders to broker peace.

“We have suspended the industrial action. And in good faith, as a demonstration to the government that we respect institutions, as a demonstration to the government that we are extremely patient. But this suspended action will come back if there is a breach of the agreement,” he said.

Osifo, however, said the agreement did not fully address the demands of PENGASSAN as it failed to give specific guarantees that the sacked workers will be returned to their jobs at the refinery and not places outside the jurisdiction of the association.

He said the union accepted the deal but has pointed out the grey areas to the federal government.

Osifo said that though it was the desire of the association to bring worker back to their positions the government otherwise. He said the union accepted the deal as a compromise out of respect for the government and Nigerians.

According to the PENGASSAN President, the federal government should prevail on Dangote Refinery not to renege on the agreement because such a stance would draw the wrath of workers in the oil and gas industry.

He said the Union would not hesitate to resume the strike if Dangote Refinery’s management reneges on the agreement to recall the affected staff.

“We will not give any warning. We will resume the suspended industrial action immediately,” he said.

The PENGASSAN president also responded to what he described as wrong assertions and misconceptions ascribed to the union as a result of the dispute with Dangote Refinery.

He said most Nigerians are ignorant of the real issues that necessitated the strike in the first instance, saying PENGASSAN was not after check-up dues as alleged in some quarters, but to protect young oil and gas workers who voluntarily agreed to be part of the union.

On the allegation of sabotaging the company, Osifo dismissed it, saying that PENGASSAN has members in big multinational oil companies operating in the country and has contributed to their progress and growth.

He also dismissed the insinuation that the association was after the check off dues that it will get from the Dangote, adding that PENGASSAN is only interested in given the workers a platform to push for and safeguard their welfare

The strike by the oil workers persisted for three days, literally shutting down the country’s oil and gas sector following the inability of the parties to reach an agreement.

The federal government intervened, moving the meeting involving stakeholders in the oil and gas industry from the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment, where negotiation was stalled to the Office of the National Security Adviser (NSA) last night, where both sides finally agreed to a truce.

​