Fresh Fuel Scarcity Looms As PENGASSAN-Dangote Resumes Face-off
The Dangote Petroleum Refinery has reportedly stopped paying salaries to engineers dismissed in September following an industrial dispute with the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN).
The affected workers had rejected redeployment offers to other Dangote projects across Nigeria, citing concerns that some locations are “security hot zones.” The move comes amid ongoing negotiations between PENGASSAN and Dangote Group to resolve the matter amicably and avert renewed nationwide industrial action.
Background of the Dispute
The crisis began in September when PENGASSAN shut down oil and gas facilities nationwide, claiming that 800 refinery workers were dismissed for volunteering to join the union. Dangote refuted the claim, stating only a few employees were let go for allegedly “sabotaging the facility” during a reorganisation exercise.
Following Federal Government intervention, affected workers were offered redeployment to various projects, including:
- A coal mine in Benue State
- Concrete road construction sites in Borno and Ebonyi states
- Rice plants in Kebbi, Niger, Sokoto, and Zamfara states
However, many engineers rejected the placements. One letter titled “Offer of Trainee Engagement” posted an engineer as an “Engineer Trainee (Mechanical Engineering)” at a coal project in Okpokwu, Benue State, with no office or address to report to, and a 14-day reporting deadline.
Workers Cite Safety Concerns and Unfeasible Conditions
Speaking anonymously, one affected engineer explained:
“If we accept the letters, we are basically terminating our employment ourselves because there’s no office in those states to report to. PENGASSAN has told us not to accept the letters.”
The stoppage followed a reduction in October salaries, and November wages were reportedly withheld, prompting allegations of victimisation.
Dangote Management Defends Decision
Dangote Group confirmed it would no longer pay engineers who refused alternative placements, arguing that the company had provided ample opportunities. A senior official said:
“Those whose services were terminated were given an opportunity to work in our other projects… All those who accepted have started working. Why should we continue paying those who are not interested?”
The official likened the situation to a newspaper terminating an employee but offering alternative employment, questioning if salaries should continue when the employee declines.
PENGASSAN Seeks Dialogue
PENGASSAN President, Festus Osifo, affirmed the union’s commitment to peaceful negotiations to resolve the deadlock. He said:
“Since our last national industrial action, we have been engaging them in a lot of conversations, but the issues are not fully resolved… These issues should be resolved in mere jaw-jaw so that we will not go back to Egypt.”
Osifo stressed that while the union prefers dialogue, it is ready to act decisively if negotiations fail.
Dangote management, meanwhile, reiterated that while it respects PENGASSAN’s right to request, the company also reserves its business liberty in making employment decisions.
The September industrial action caused significant nationwide losses in oil and gas production and a drop in power generation before Federal Government intervention.