Abuja – The Federal Government has called on the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) to shelve its planned nationwide strike over an industrial dispute with the Dangote Refinery.
In a statement issued on Sunday, the Minister of Labour and Employment, Muhammad Dingyadi, urged the union to consider the economic and security implications of embarking on industrial action in the petroleum sector, which he described as the backbone of the Nigerian economy.
According to the minister, the Ministry of Labour and Employment, through the Director of Trade Union Services and Industrial Relations, has formally invited the leadership of PENGASSAN and the management of the Dangote Refinery to a conciliation meeting scheduled for Monday at his office in Abuja.
“I appeal to both parties to be mindful of the importance of the petroleum sector to the country, being the core of her economy. A strike will not only lead to heavy revenue losses for the country but also cause more hardship and difficulties for Nigerians. Consequently, it will have adverse impacts, both on economic stability and national security,” Dingyadi said.
The minister expressed optimism that dialogue would provide a lasting resolution to the dispute and prevent disruptions in the nation’s petroleum industry.
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