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The Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) has announced plans to convene an emergency National Executive Council (NEC) meeting following the dismissal of Nigerian workers by Dangote Refinery for joining the union.
The National President of PENGASSAN, Comrade Festus Osifo, disclosed this to Daily Post in an interview on Friday, stating that the union would determine the best course of action during the weekend meeting.
“We will call for an emergency NEC meeting by the weekend to decide on the way forward,” he said.
This development follows reports that Dangote Refinery terminated the appointment of all its Nigerian workers shortly after they joined PENGASSAN.
Osifo assured that all the sacked workers will be recalled.
However, Dangote Refinery has denied the mass sacking of its employees.
When contacted, a senior official of the company confirmed the dismissals but said the workers would be reabsorbed.
“Yes, the letter is correct. But the interpretation is wrong,” the official stated.
“The interpretation is that it affects some people because of certain things discovered in the refinery. It has nothing to do with unionism or anything like that.”
The official said, “It doesn’t mean they have been sacked.
“That is incorrect. What was done was to put a check in place. It is more like a clean-up in the system to check where those sabotage and leakages are coming from and then address them.
“As soon as the issues are addressed, they will be reabsorbed. That is why it is not a sack and that word wasn’t used.”
The company also emphasised that the reorganisation was carried out swiftly to prevent those allegedly involved in sabotage from concealing their actions.
“Some acts of sabotage have been noticed repeatedly and the company is only trying to safeguard its assets. Also, you cannot do things like this and give two weeks’ notice; otherwise, those in the act would cover up and complicate issues,” the official added.
According to the official, operations at the refinery continue, with both Nigerian and expatriate staff still at work.
“As we speak, people are still working at the refinery. The people affected know themselves, and those who did not get the letter are not affected. Anyone who doesn’t have a hand in sabotage has nothing to worry about,” the official concluded.
The refinery, which commenced production in 2024, has faced previous disputes with labour unions, including PENGASSAN, over allegations of high-handedness and inadequate safety standards.
It has also had disagreements with the Depot and Petroleum Products Marketers Association of Nigeria over product pricing and distribution arrangements.
The situation could trigger a strike action by PENGASSAN.
