The reconciliation meeting between the management of the Dangote Refinery and leaders of members of the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) was yesterday moved to the Office of the National Security Adviser (NSA).

The meeting was, however, held behind closed doors. The Minister of Labour and Employment, Mohammed Dingyadi, along with some members of PENGASSAN who had earlier arrived for the meeting, relocated to the NSA’s office. Meanwhile, the first attempt at settling the rift on Monday ended after over nine hours of intense negotiations and breakout sessions in a deadlock.

The high-level conciliation meeting between the Federal Government, the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN), and the Dangote Group ended in the early hours of Tuesday without any breakthrough.

The inability of all parties to come to a compromise has left the fate of over 800 sacked workers of Dangote Refinery hanging in the balance and the ongoing nationwide industrial action unresolved.

The conciliatory meeting, convened by the Federal Government had in attendance, the Chief Conciliator, the Minister of Labour and Employment, Muhammad Dingyadi; the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Mr. Wale Edun; Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Dr. Nkeiruka Onyejeocha, PENGASSAN delegates led by its President, Comrade Festus Osifo and top representatives of the Dangote Group.

Also in attendance were Senior Special Assistant to the President on Engineering Matters, the Permanent Secretary Ministry of Petroleum Resources, as well as senior representatives of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC), Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), and the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC).

Speaking to journalists after the meeting, Comrade Osifo expressed deep disappointment over the failure to reach an agreement, stressing that the union’s position remained firm on the immediate reinstatement of the 800 workers dismissed by Dangote Petroleum Refinery.