Stories By Cross Udo, Abuja
The labour crisis currently rocking the oil sector seems to be taken another dimension with the two parties-Dangote Petroleum Refinery and the Petroleum and Natural Gas Staff Association of Nigeria, PENGASSAN unprepared to shift grounds on their vexed positions.
And given the directives by PENGASSAN to all its memebers across seven oil and gas firms to halt all crude oil gas supplies to the massive facility, there is palpable fear of fuel scarcity across the nation.
Reports indicate that Dangote Refinery may not backdown on its position on unionism in its company. This, however, has hightened the tension in the industry and across the nation about possibility of imminent scarcity of the product, which may trigger another rise in the price of petroleum products.
Moved by this unsavoury development, indications emerged that the Federal Government is making serious efforts to resolve the feud between the Dangote Refinery and the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria, PENGASSAN.
Already, the Minister of Labour and Employment Muhammad Maigari Dingyadi, has appealed to PENGASSAN to reconsider its proposed strike starting today, September 29, over its dispute with Dangote Refinery.
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ThisNigeria reliably gathered that the Minister has put everything in place for the warring parties to sheath their swords in the interest of peace.
A highly placed government source disclosed that officials from the Ministry of Labour and Employment are digging into the contentious issues for an amicable resolution of the crisis between the two parties.
According to the source, the government officials want to carry all the parties along in their efforts to resolve the feud.
“The ministry is talking with the Dangote Refinery and the leadership of PENGASSAN and from the discussion, there is no alternative to peace,” the source said.
Meanwhile, the Minister of Labour and Employment, Muhammad Maigari Dingyadi has made a passionate appeal to PENGASSAN to shelve the proposed strike expected to commence today.
The Minister said his Ministry has taken steps to bring both parties to a roundtable to stop their dispute from escalating further.
Dingyadi disclosed that invitations have been extended to both the leadership of PENGASSAN and Dangote Refinery management to attend an emergency meeting in his office today for the conciliation of their dispute.
He called on the leadership of PENGASSAN to withdraw the strike declaration to allow his Ministry to conciliate the dispute in a peaceful atmosphere.
The Minister, however, urged the feuding parties to give peace a chance, assuring them that the Federal Government would resolve the dispute amicably to the satisfaction of all the parties involved and in the national interest.
TUC backs PENGASSAN, demands immediate, unconditional reinstatement of sacked workers
The crisis seems to be taken a new twist as the Trade Union Congress, has thrown its weight behind Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria, PENGASSAN demanding the immediate and unconditional reinstatement of the affected workers.
TUC also has condemned what it described as anti-worker actions of the management of Dangote Petroleum Refinery, particularly the alleged “unjust termination” of workers for exercising their constitutional right to freedom of association and unionization
TUC in a statement yesterday said it stood in solidarity with the affected workers and its affiliate union, PENGASSAN and called for the immediate and unconditional reinstatement of the affected workers.
In the statement issued by its Secretary General, Dr. Nuhu Toro, TUC demanded a public apology from Dangote management with firm assurances against future victimization.
It read: “We stand in full solidarity with the affected workers and with their union, our affiliate PENGASSAN, whose members have been victimized merely for declaring membership.
“Such actions amount to a direct assault on Section 40 of the Nigerian Constitution and on Nigeria’s obligations under International Labour Organization (ILO) conventions.”
The Labour movement in its demands called for: “Immediate and unconditional reinstatement of all affected workers. Public apology from Dangote management with firm assurances against future victimization.
An independent investigation involving the Ministry of Labour, ILO and stakeholders into the refinery’s labour practices.”
Continuing, TUC said: “Congress hereby places all affiliates on stand-by for a national industrial action if Dangote management fails to comply with these demands within a reasonable time.
“No corporation, regardless of size or wealth, will be allowed to trample on the dignity and rights of Nigerian workers. The TUC stands united and ready to act decisively in defence of our members and the Nigerian workforce.”
Dangote Refinery: PENGASSAN’s directive criminal, reckless, act of economic sabotage
The management of Dangote Petroleum Refinery has described the declaration of strike by Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association (PENGASSAN) as a bully and guerrilla tactics meant to hold Nigerians to ransom for selfish agenda.
Dangote Refinery stated this yesterday, while reacting to PENGASSAN’s statement on Saturday, directing its members to embark on nationwide strike, a move which the oil company says is tantamount to act of terror.
According to the company, PENGASSAN’s directive if carried out would disrupt production and nationwide supply of critical petroleum products, including petrol, diesel, aviation fuel, kerosene, and cooking gas which would in turn worsened the hardship presently faced by Nigerians.
It stated that the resolve by the Association to bully tactics could not justify the threat to the lives of persons, including infants and aged persons, who need the petroleum products and attendant necessities for their life-support systems in the hospitals, in care homes, and the Nigerian workers whose lives and livelihood are to be put at risk with the strike.
Dangote Refinery management therefore called on the Federal Government and its agencies, as well as all Nigerians, to stare down PENGASSAN and put a stop to the machinations and blackmail tactics of its oligarchs and sponsors.
“Assuming that there are Dangote Refinery workers or ex-workers who are affronted by or aggrieved over the organization’s decisions, they surely have remedies that they can pursue in accordance with their employment contracts. PENGASSAN should not and must not be allowed to incite those employees or ex-employees neither should it interpose itself between them and Dangote Refinery. PENGASSAN’s terrorist tactics must be defeated by the Nigerian people. It is in our interest to so do.
“PENGASSAN must not be allowed to persist in its bullying tactics against Nigerians. The Nigerian security and law enforcement agencies must provide security for the Nigerian workers in the oil and gas sector – all the facilities, installations and offices – so they can continue to provide their essential services to the Nigerian nation without let or hindrance by or from PENGASSAN and its co-travelers”, the refinery management stated.
