The leadership of the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN), along with key regulatory bodies, including the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), and the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC), have evaded service of a court order restraining them from embarking on a nationwide industrial action against Dangote Petroleum Refinery and Petrochemicals FZE.
Recall that the dispute began when Dangote Refinery allegedly dismissed over 800 Nigerian workers, prompting PENGASSAN to declare a nationwide strike.
The union claimed the refinery’s actions breached Nigeria’s labour laws, the Constitution, and International Labour Organisation conventions.
The strike has paralyzed operations at critical agencies, with PENGASSAN members ensuring 100% compliance.
Justice Emmanuel Danjuma Subilim of the National Industrial Court in Abuja granted an interim injunction restraining PENGASSAN and its allies from carrying out the strike.
The court ruled that allowing the strike to proceed could cripple essential services and cause irreparable damage to the refinery’s operations. Despite the court order, PENGASSAN has vowed to continue its nationwide strike.
PENGASSAN General Secretary, Lumumba Okugbawa, dismissed reports of a valid court injunction halting its action, stating that the union had not been served with any court order.
The union insists on the unconditional recall of its sacked members and has appealed to the government to intervene.
The Federal Government has stepped in to resolve the dispute, with the Minister of Labour and Employment, Muhammad Maigari Dingyadi, appealing to PENGASSAN to halt the strike.
An emergency meeting has been scheduled for conciliation, but PENGASSAN remains resolute in its demands.
The court has adjourned the matter to October 13 for hearing. The outcome will determine the fate of the strike and the future of labour relations at Dangote Refinery.
As the situation unfolds, Nigerians are anxiously awaiting a resolution to the dispute, which has significant implications for the nation’s economy and energy security.
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