Nigerians have to pay additional money to get premium motor spirit, popularly known as petrol, as the feud between Dangote Refinery and the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria, PENGASSAN, remains unresolved.

This is as the closed-door meeting on Monday among the Federal Government, Dangote Refinery and PENGASSAN ended in a deadlock.

The President of PENGASSAN, Festus Osifo, confirmed this to DAILY POST in the earlier hours of Tuesday.

When DAILY POST asked for an update on the meeting chaired by the Federal government, Comrade Osifo similarly said, “deadlock”.

Earlier, DAILY POST correspondent, who went round the nation’s capital, Abuja, on Monday gathered that a hike in fuel price has been implemented.

Ranoil, Empire filling stations in Gwarimpa, and Ranoil on the Kubwa Expressway have all adjusted fuel pump prices to N910, N920, and N910 per litre, up from N890, N910, and N890 per litre.

This comes as PENGASSAN secretary, Lumumba Ighotemu, in an official directive to all members on Monday night, said its nationwide strike against Dangote Refinery for mass sack of Nigerian workers, which began on Monday, continues.

“All comrades are therefore directed to continue with the industrial action until further instruction. Only information coming through our official channels should be regarded as authentic.

“Any further clarification you need should be sought from higher organs of the Association,” PENGASSAN declared.

This paints a gory picture for the country’s oil sector and for Nigerians who are directly affected.

Dangote Refinery has not made any shift, rather ignoring the demand of the workers, which is to recall workers unjustly sacked for belonging to PENGASSAN.

Though Dangote Refinery has not stated explicitly the number of workers it sacked, the plant, however, has not denied the action.

Pained by the 650,000-barrel-per-day refinery’s recalcitrance, the Nigerian Union of Labour Congress on Monday joined PENGASSAN in the nationwide strike, like the Trade Union of Nigeria did on Sunday.

Meanwhile, details of intervention by the Federal government through the Ministry of Labour and other stakeholders have yet to be released as of the time of filing this report.

The Minister of Labour and Employment, Muhammad Dingyadi, during the meeting, said the feud between the parties needs to be resolved for the good of Nigerians, the union and the employers.

Efforts to speak with the spokesperson of the Ministry of Labour and Employment, Patience Onuobia on the meeting details did not yield results.

Fuel price hike

The president of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria, Abubakar Maigandi blamed the hike in fuel price in parts of Abuja and the country in general on the anxiety created by the Dangote Refinery and the PENGASSAN feud.

He urged for a swift and urgent solution from the Nigerian government to avert more woes on Nigerians.

“It is the anxiety created by the face-off between Dangote Refinery and PENGASSAN.

“This has resulted in panic buying among Nigerians, which has shot up the fuel prices.

“It will not last though. We wait for the Federal Government to intervene on the matter”, he told DAILY POST.

PENGASSAN grounds NNPCL, NUPRC, and NMDPRA in Abuja

Apart from shutting Dangote Refinery, PENGASSAN grounded activities in Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission, and Nigeria Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority, Abuja offices, on Monday.

Dangote Refinery secures court judgement

Justice Emmanuel Danjuma Subilim of the National Industrial Court in Abuja issued an interim order in favour of Dangote Refinery to restrain PENGASSAN from striking.

However, PENGASSAN insisted on Monday that its strike continues, as the union is unaware of any court action.

Last weekend, Dangote Refinery condemned the directive of PENGASSAN and described it as bully and terror tactics.

But PENGASSAN has insisted that it is acting within its rights.