The Federal Government has waded into the brewing dispute between the Dangote Refinery and the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN), with a view to averting a nationwide strike.

A top government source disclosed that officials from the Ministry of Labour and Employment are already probing the contentious issues in order to reach an amicable resolution.

According to the source, “the ministry is talking with the Dangote Refinery and the leadership of PENGASSAN and, from the discussions, there is no alternative to peace.”

Meanwhile, the Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr. Mohammed Dingyadi, appealed to PENGASSAN to suspend its planned strike, revealing that both parties had been invited to an emergency conciliation meeting in his office today.

He urged the union to withdraw its strike declaration to allow room for peaceful dialogue.

In a statement issued by the ministry’s Head of Information and Public Relations, Patience Onuobia, the minister said:

“The Ministry of Labour and Employment, through the Director of Trade Union Services and Industrial Relations, has invited both PENGASSAN and the management of Dangote Refinery to a conciliation meeting in my office on Monday (today).

I appeal to both parties to be mindful of the importance of the petroleum sector to the country, being the core of our economy. A strike will not only lead to heavy revenue losses but also cause hardship for Nigerians. It will adversely affect economic stability and national security.”