BREAKING: We didn’t sign reconciliation agreement with Dangote — PENGASSAN

The Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) has said that it did not sign the agreement with Dangote Petroleum Refinery and Petrochemicals FZE at the reconciliatory meeting convened by the Federal Government.

The President of the union, Festus Osifo, revealed this when he appeared on a Channels Television programme: “The Morning Brief,” on Thursday.

Osifo said: “If you see that communiqué, we did not sign it.

“Normally, it is supposed to be signed by three parties.

“We did not sign because we felt that some things in it were not okay with us.”

He said the statement was only a communication from the Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr. Muhammad Maigari Dingyadi, who acted as the chief conciliator.

He said when the decisions reached were communicated to the National Executive Council of the union, members asked the negotiation team to prioritise the outcome.

Osifo said: “When we subjected it to our NEC, we had to decide on priorities.

“Some media houses claimed we were only interested in check-off dues.

“That is false.

“What we prioritised was how our members would return to work and provide for their families.

“Take the people back to the refinery.”

Osifo said Dangote Refinery initially refused to reabsorb the disengaged workers until the government pushed for a compromise, dismissing the claims of sabotage by the sacked employees.

He said the union’s fight was not about itself but about Nigerian workers whose employments were abruptly terminated for exercising their right to associate.

He said: “The release that Dangote made on workers sabotaging the economy was totally incorrect.

“If we had allowed that sabotage tag to stand, those 800 people would not be able to secure jobs in the future.

“That stigma would remain forever.

“Clearing that was a very big win.

“We are not perturbed in any way.

“If Dangote does not do the needful, our tools are always available.

“We will never get tired of struggling for what is right.

“We have been around for 50 years before the Dangote Refinery came on stream.”