The Federal Government has announced that Dangote Group will redeploy workers previously disengaged from its refinery operations following the resolution of its dispute with the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN). The government confirmed that the redeployed staff would not face any loss of pay.
Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr. Mohammed Maigari Dingyadi, stated in Abuja on Wednesday that the agreement was reached after reviewing the procedures used in the earlier disengagement. βThe management of Dangote Group shall immediately begin redeploying the affected staff to other companies within the group, with no loss of pay. No worker will be victimized arising from their role in the impasse,β he said.
Dingyadi further confirmed that PENGASSAN had agreed to call off the strike, and both parties reached the understanding in good faith. He emphasized that unionization is a fundamental right of workers under Nigerian law and must be respected.
The dispute originated when PENGASSAN raised concerns over alleged mass transfers and dismissals of union members, as well as the replacement of some Nigerian staff with foreign workers. Dangote Group, however, denied the allegations, saying workforce reorganization was purely operational.
The standoff escalated when the union halted gas and crude oil supplies to the refinery, raising concerns over energy supply and economic stability. The Federal Government intervened, citing potential adverse effects on the nationβs economy and energy security, and convened high-level talks to resolve the conflict.
