The Federal Government has summoned the leadership of Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENSASSAN) and the management of Dangote Refinery to an emergency meeting over ongoing rift between the duo.

The government also urged PENSASSAN members nationwide to reconsider its strike over its dispute with Dangote Refinery, saying the plan, if enforced would take great till on the economy.

According to the Minister of Labour and Employment, Maigari Dingyadi, the meeting will hold at the ministry’s headquarters in Abuja.

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Daily Trust reports that the rift between Dangote Refinery and PENGASSAN reached crescendo on Sunday when the union directed all its members to withdraw their services over the sack of at least 800 members of the union.

Reacting to the development, Dingyadi said the ongoing dispute would have adverse impacts on both on economic stability and national security, while calling on the leadership of PENGASSAN to withdraw the strike declaration to allow his Ministry to conciliate the dispute in a peaceful atmosphere

“The Ministry of Labour and Employment through the Director of Trade Union Services and Industrial Relations has extended invitations to the leadership of PENGASSAN and the management of Dangote Refinery to attend a conciliation meeting in my office on Monday.”

“I appeal to both parties to be mindful of the importance of the petroleum sector to the country, being the core of her economy.

“A strike will not only lead to heavy revenue losses by the country but also cause more hardship and difficulties for Nigerians. Consequentially, it will have adverse impacts, both on economic stability and national security,” Patience Onuobia, spokesperson of the Ministry,  quoted the Minister to have said.