By Peter Onyekachukwu 
By Peter Onyekachukwu
The National Security Adviser (NSA), Nuhu Ribadu, has assumed control of the reconciliation meeting between the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) and Dangote Refinery following a deadlock in earlier negotiations.
As of 3:15 pm on Tuesday, the meeting was yet to commence, but labour leaders and stakeholders had begun arriving at the NSA’s office in Abuja. Those present included PENGASSAN President, Festus Osifo, and the General Secretary of the Trade Union Congress (TUC), Nuhu Toro.
The move comes after marathon talks convened by the Minister of Labour and Employment, Maigari Dingyadi, from Monday afternoon into early Tuesday morning ended without resolution. PENGASSAN members had earlier embarked on strike action over alleged unfair labour practices and disputes around workers’ welfare at Dangote Refinery.
Officials from both the Ministry of Labour and the Office of the NSA (ONSA) confirmed that Ribadu’s intervention became necessary to avert further disruptions in the oil and gas sector, which is already feeling the impact of the strike.
A senior ONSA official, who declined to be named, explained that the dispute had taken “a negative dimension” and posed risks that could snowball into a national security challenge if not quickly resolved.
“The NSA, as coordinator of all security agencies, has a duty to act proactively in preventing any looming security threats that could arise from prolonged industrial action,” the official said.
The outcome of Ribadu’s intervention is expected to shape the next steps in resolving the standoff, as both PENGASSAN and Dangote Refinery face mounting pressure to reach a compromise.