The Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) has suspended its nationwide industrial action, which it embarked on to protest the sack of over 800 workers of Dangote Refinery and Petrochemical Company.
President of PENGASSAN, Comrade Festus Osifo who announced the suspension on Wednesday, in Abuja, noted that the union took that path out of respect for the government and Nigerians, but would however not hesitate to resume the strike if Dangote’s management reneges on the agreement to recall the affected staff.
Osifo noted that comments accusing PENGASSAN of embarking on strike because of its interests in checkoff dues, said it was because most Nigerians were ignorant of the real issues that necessitated the strike in the first instance
According to him, PENGASSAN’s resolve to withdraw services nationwide was for one reason only, to protect young oil and gas workers who voluntarily agreed to be part of the union.
Osifo asked the Federal Government to prevail on Dangote not to renege on the agreement because such stance would draw the wrath of workers in the oil and gas industry.
Recall that the meeting involving stakeholders in the oil and gas industry had to be shifted to the Office of the National Security Adviser (NSA) last night, where they managed to broker truce.
