The Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) have faulted the management of Dangote Refinery over its handling of labour union activities, insisting that workers’ fundamental rights to freedom of association must not be undermined.

Chairman of TUC in Oyo State, Bosun Olabiyi, in a statement over the weekend, accused Dangote Group of victimising employees who voluntarily joined PENGASSAN, noting that over 800 workers were dismissed under the guise of a reorganisation exercise shortly after confirming their union membership.

According to Olabiyi, the argument that the scale of investment in the refinery justifies curtailing workers’ rights is untenable. He stressed that several multinational oil companies, including Total, Chevron, Mobil, Shell, NNPC, and NLNG, all operate profitably in Nigeria while allowing unionisation.

“Dangote’s $20 billion investment is significant, but it is not a license to trample on constitutional and labour rights. Section 40 of the Nigerian Constitution guarantees freedom of association, while the Labour Act clearly mandates employers to remit union dues once workers freely subscribe. This is non-negotiable,” he said.

The labour leader also decried what he described as unfair labour practices at the refinery, alleging that some senior employees earn less than ₦150,000 despite working in hazardous conditions. He added that cases of worker fatalities had gone without adequate compensation.

On the issue of expatriates in top management positions, Olabiyi questioned why Nigerians were excluded from key roles. He argued that unlike other international oil companies where Nigerians occupy leadership positions, Dangote Refinery appears to sideline local professionals in favour of expatriates.

He warned that any attempt to provoke unrest in the oil and gas sector by undermining workers’ rights would be resisted, calling on President Bola Tinubu’s administration to intervene in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda.

“Dangote must recall all sacked workers and open the door for genuine dialogue. The right to collective bargaining cannot be negotiated away. Any employer attempting to sabotage established laws is an enemy of the nation,” Olabiyi declared.

He urged Nigerians to speak truth to power and ensure that no individual or organisation is allowed to place itself above the law.