By Mercy Akossun
The Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) has assured Nigerians that its planned nationwide strike, scheduled to begin on today, will not result in petrol scarcity.
The union is protesting the alleged mass dismissal of nearly 1,000 Nigerian workers by the Dangote Refinery and has directed its members across the country to withdraw their services.
The strike notice has raised public concern over possible fuel queues, but PENGASSAN leaders said such fears were unfounded.
Speaking on Sunday Politics on Channels Television, PENGASSAN President Festus Osifo confirmed that the union had already cut gas supply to refineries and fertiliser plants but insisted the action would not affect petrol availability.
“As of today, tomorrow, even by next weekend, this will not dovetail into Nigerians queuing to buy PMS,” Osifo said. “Yes, we have cut the supply of gas to the refineries and fertilisers, because if someone says he is crazy, we are going to tell him we are much crazier. We are the goose that laid the golden egg.”
The Federal Government has appealed to the union to shelve the strike. Minister of Labour and Employment, Muhammad Dingyadi, said on Sunday that his ministry has taken steps to bring PENGASSAN and the Dangote Refinery management to the negotiating table. He confirmed that both parties have been invited to an emergency meeting in his office on Monday.
Dingyadi urged the union to suspend the strike to allow for peaceful conciliation, warning against further escalation of the dispute.
Osifo acknowledged the invitation and said PENGASSAN would attend Monday’s meeting, but he stressed that the union’s demand remains unchanged.
“Our position is very clear: you cannot send close to 1,000 Nigerians to the streets simply because they are exercising their rights to unionise,” he said. “The government must call Dangote to order and make the company understand that Nigeria is not a banana republic.”
