Trade Union Congress Insists Dangote Refinery Must Apologise and Rehire Dismissed Employees

The Trade Union Congress of Nigeria has demanded that the management of Dangote Petrochemical Refinery issue a public apology and reinstate more than 800 workers whose employment was terminated amid a dispute over union membership . The labour organisation asserts that the refinery’s actions contravened the constitutional rights of the affected employees .

Nuhu Toro, the Secretary-General of the TUC, articulated that the fundamental issue is the entitlement of workers to affiliate with a union of their preference, a right he stated the refinery’s management has failed to honour . He characterised the mass dismissal as a direct violation of a prior agreement established during a reconciliation meeting at the Ministry of Labour, which stipulated that no employee would face victimisation .

The congress has also levelled accusations of discriminatory practices, alleging that Nigerian personnel are treated less favourably than Indian expatriates working at the facility . The TUC has warned that it is prepared to mobilise its affiliates for potential nationwide industrial action should its demands for reinstatement and an apology be disregarded . This development follows the initiation of a nationwide strike by the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria, an affiliate of the TUC, which has disrupted operations at key oil and gas installations .