PENGASSAN accuses Dangote Refinery of replacing sacked Nigerian workers with over 2,000 foreign staff. Photo Credit:
The Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN), has ordered its members nationwide to down tools in protest against mass dismissal of Nigerian workers by Dangote Refinery.
In a circular issued after an emergency National Executive Council meeting on Saturday, September 27, the union accused the refinery of breaching Nigeria’s labour laws, the Constitution, and International Labour Organisation (ILO) conventions by sacking employees who joined the association.
PENGASSAN further alleged that the refinery replaced the dismissed workers with “over 2,000 Indians,” calling the action an affront to Nigeria’s workforce.
From Sunday, members working in field locations were directed to withdraw services, with a total nationwide shutdown of offices, companies, institutions, and agencies scheduled to begin on Monday.
The circular also ordered an immediate halt of gas and crude oil supply to Dangote Refinery and its petrochemical plants. The union announced 24-hour prayer vigils and said the strike would continue until the sacked workers are reinstated.
PENGASSAN appealed for government intervention, insisting that “no man is bigger than our country.”
The refinery has recently faced repeated disputes with oil unions, including NUPENG, over labour rights and safety standards.
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