Sir: Socialist Labour supports the PENGASSAN’s strike for the immediate recall of all terminated Nigerian workers by Dangote Petroleum.

After 800 workers exercised their human right to free association and joined the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN), the Dangote Group announced a “reorganisation” and fired them.

Workers, in Nigeria and internationally, have a right to join unions. But that right, as with all rights, is only meaningful when we can exercise it without repercussion. Accordingly, it is illegal to punish workers for exercising their fundamental human right, which is universally recognised.

Alone, we are all powerless against a billionaire like Dangote. Together, the ordinary person who joins a union is now part of a family more powerful than Dangote. And Dangote knows this exactly. A billionaire capitalist does not want to accept that ordinary men and women whose salaries he pays can be more powerful than he is.

Let us be clear. What Dangote seeks to build is against the constitution of Nigeria and international labour standards of the ILO.

This is not a matter of finances; Dangote claimed that these workers sabotaged his refinery. These workers are people we know; they are our fathers, mothers, brothers, sisters and our neighbours, respected community members, and they are people who worship and pray with us. They are not saboteurs.

Dangote Petroleum management accuses them of sabotage only because they joined PENGASSAN. These workers put their bodies on the line every day to ensure that we have the fuel we use to transport ourselves, power our homes, and run our businesses. It is their labour, not Dangote’s, that serves all of us.

But these workers are not alone. They are part of a family that is PENGASSAN, that has decided to halt the supply of gas and crude to Dangote refinery until Dangote stops playing games with their livelihood. The ball is in Dangote’s court; he only has to do the needful.

Socialist Labour commends PENGASSAN fight for the immediate recall of all terminated Nigerian workers by the management of Dangote Petroleum. We support the right of Nigerian workers to join unions and be protected from retaliation by management.

Socialist labour calls on all trade unions, civil society organisations and Nigerian workers to support the current struggles by PENGASSAN and other trade unions to stop the exploitation of Nigerian workers. Dangote is not above the law of the land and workers are not his slaves.

Dr James Uanhoro and Dr Izielen Agbon, members of the Socialist Labour, can be reached via
[email protected] and [email protected]