The Federal Government has summoned the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) and the management of Dangote Refinery to an emergency conciliation meeting scheduled for Monday in Abuja, following the union’s threat to embark on strike.
Minister of Labour and Employment, Muhammad Maigari Dingyadi, who disclosed this in a statement over the weekend, said the meeting would be held in his office as part of efforts to douse tensions arising from the ongoing face-off between the two parties.
Dingyadi urged the leadership of PENGASSAN to suspend its planned strike, which is expected to commence on Monday, to allow for dialogue in a peaceful atmosphere.
“The Ministry of Labour and Employment, through the Director of Trade Union Services and Industrial Relations, has extended invitations to the leadership of PENGASSAN and the management of Dangote Refinery to attend a conciliation meeting in my office on Monday,” he said.
The minister warned that industrial action in the petroleum sector would not only lead to heavy revenue losses for the country but also compound economic hardship for citizens and threaten national security.
He assured both sides that the Federal Government was committed to resolving the dispute amicably and in the best interest of the nation.
