By Atoyebi Nike
The Federal Government has announced that the Dangote Group will redeploy workers earlier disengaged from its refinery operations, following the resolution of its standoff with the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN).
Labour and Employment Minister, Dr Mohammed Maigari Dingyadi, confirmed the development in Abuja on Wednesday, stressing that none of the affected staff will lose pay or be victimised.
“After reviewing the disengagement process, it was agreed that Dangote Group will immediately redeploy the affected workers to other subsidiaries, with no loss of salary,” the minister said. “No worker will be punished for their involvement in the impasse between the company and PENGASSAN.”
He added that the union has agreed to begin calling off its strike action, with both parties accepting the agreement in good faith.
The dispute arose after PENGASSAN accused Dangote Refinery management of mass dismissals and alleged replacement of Nigerian employees with foreign staff, claims the company denied. Dangote maintained that the workforce restructuring was purely operational.
The situation escalated when the union halted gas and crude supplies to the refinery, sparking fears of nationwide energy disruptions. Government officials quickly intervened, warning that prolonged tensions could harm the economy and energy security.
Dr Dingyadi reaffirmed that unionisation remains a constitutional right, urging companies to respect labour laws while stressing that industrial peace is essential for economic stability.
