ABUJA — The Federal Government, on Monday, convened an emergency closed-door meeting with the leadership of the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) and representatives of Dangote Refinery in a bid to resolve an ongoing industrial dispute.

The meeting, taking place at the Conference Hall of the Ministry of Labour and Employment in Abuja, was convened at the instance of the Minister of Labour and Employment, Mohammad Maigari Dingyadi.

PENGASSAN’s delegation was led by its President, Comrade Festus Osifo, and the General Secretary of the Trade Union Congress (TUC), Dr. Nuhu Toro. The federal government’s team was led by Minister Dingyadi, alongside other top officials of the ministry.

The meeting, initially scheduled for 2:00 p.m., commenced at approximately 3:50 p.m. due to the delayed arrival of key stakeholders. It subsequently moved into a closed-door session.

In his opening remarks, the minister underscored the urgency of the meeting, citing the implications of the dispute on national economic stability and security.

“What’s happening today is very dear to our economy and to the security of the country. We have been informed that PENGASSAN is on strike,” Dingyadi stated.

The intervention follows the federal government’s earlier summons issued on Sunday, directing both PENGASSAN and the management of Dangote Refinery to appear for talks aimed at averting a prolonged disruption in the oil and gas sector.

Details of the discussions are yet to be disclosed as the meeting remains ongoing at press time.