The Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC) has called on the management of Dangote Petrochemical Refinery to publicly apologize and reinstate over 800 Nigerian workers who were recently dismissed amid ongoing disputes over unionisation.
Speaking during a televised interview on Monday, Secretary General of TUC Nuhu Toro, condemned the refinery’s actions as a violation of workers’ constitutional rights. He emphasized that the issue involved the Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN), a TUC affiliate, and accused Dangote management of ignoring previous agreements not to victimise workers.
“We demand the reversal of the arbitrary dismissal of over 800 workers. We also want a public apology from Dangote Refinery Management with assurances that union members won’t face such treatment in the future,” Toro said.
Toro criticized Dangote Refinery for refusing to address the core issue, the right of workers to join the union of their choice. He challenged the company’s claim that the union activities amounted to sabotage, noting the lack of evidence to support such allegations.
“Unionisation is a fundamental right. Workers at Dangote have chosen to belong to PENGASSAN and have signed union forms. Dangote’s reaction is unjustified and unfair,” he said.
Allegations of Double Standards and Economic Oppression
The TUC leader accused Dangote Refinery of discriminatory treatment, granting preferential status to Indian expatriates while oppressing Nigerian workers.
“Dangote enjoys significant state support but denies Nigerian workers their rights while privileging expatriates. This is modern-day economic oppression and slavery,” Toro said.
He urged the refinery to respect workers’ rights and warned against any attempts to undermine union activities.
Toro also addressed public criticism of the workers, affirming their patriotism and commitment to Nigeria’s development.
“Unions are made up of patriotic Nigerians who contribute to building the nation. To suggest otherwise is unfair and misleading,” he said, referencing examples of unionised workers in other free trade zones like ExxonMobil and TotalEnergies.
Recalling past solidarity, Toro reminded that organised unions have stood by Dangote during difficult times, highlighting the unfairness of the current situation.
“We have supported Dangote when he needed it. This is not an attempt to sabotage the refinery but a fight for workers’ fundamental rights,” he said.
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