PENGASSAN vows to resume strike if Dangote defaults on agreement

By Joan Nwagwu

“We suspended the action in good faith to respect government. But the moment we detect any foul play or gimmicks, we will return to the trenches immediately,” the President of PENGASSAN, Mr Festus Osifo said on Thursday while confirming the suspension of industrial action declared by the union of alleged sack of its members by Dangote Refinery.

He added that the union will resume strike action if Dangote Group defaults on the agreement it reached with it for suspending the industrial action.

Osifo stated this during a news conference at the end of the union’s National Executive Council (NEC) meeting, on Wednesday to assess government’s intervention in the prolonged industrial dispute.

The strike was initially triggered by the reported mass sack of more than 800 Nigerian workers by Dangote Petrochemicals and Fertiliser Limited after they voluntarily subscribed to join PENGASSAN.

Osifo described the dismissals as an attack on workers’ constitutional rights and a violation of Nigeria’s obligations under International Labour Organisation (ILO) conventions protecting freedom of association.

“Let it be known clearly that if there is any slip or breach in implementing this agreement, we shall immediately resume our suspended nationwide industrial action,” Osifo warned.

He said NEC decided to suspend the strike out of respect for institutions, in spite of serious concerns over loopholes in the government-brokered agreement reached with Dangote management.

“Even with our doubts about Dangote’s sincerity, we have chosen the moral high ground. Nigerians must see PENGASSAN as patriotic, law-abiding and committed to sustaining national economic stability,” he stated.

Osifo said the union’s main demand was full reinstatement of the affected workers, but government instead opted for redeployment within related companies owned by the Dangote Group.

“Our position was simple: bring them back to their original jobs. Government proposed a middle ground instead, and that remains our greatest reservation with the settlement,” Osifo explained.

He added that the union accepted the compromise reluctantly, noting that the most important thing now was to get the affected workers back to earning and feeding their families.

However, Osifo made it clear that PENGASSAN would not be misled by unfulfilled promises or prolonged delays.

“We will not wait endlessly if nothing happens.

The Dangote/PENGASSAN Agreement

The Federal Government had in an earlier statement indicated that PENGASSAN had agreed to suspend its two days strike action against Dangote Refinery.

This followed a two-day meeting, held on Monday and Tuesday between the Federal Government, PENGASSAN and Dangote Refinery.

The agreement for calling off the strike stipulates three key positions: Dangote Group would immediately start the reabsorption of sacked workers, and PENGASSAN would suspend the strike and end workers’ victimisation.

“Reabsorption of Workers: The Dangote Group management will immediately start the process of taking the disengaged staff to other companies within the Dangote Group, with no loss of pay,” the communique read.

“No Victimisation: Both sides agreed that “no worker will be victimised arising from their role in the impasse.”

PENGASSAN had while announcing the strike on Sunday directed its members to cut gas and crude supply to Dangote Refinery.