The Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) has condemned what it calls anti-labour practices by Dangote Refinery, accusing the company of unjustly terminating the employment of more than 800 Nigerian workers.
In a statement signed by its General Secretary, Lumumba Okugbawa, the association alleged that the refinery replaced the sacked employees with over 2,000 Indian workers, many of whom it claimed lacked valid immigration documentation.
“We are deeply saddened to report the unjust termination of over 800 Nigerian workers, whose dedication and service have been integral to the operations of this plant. Instead of valuing and retaining this workforce, management has chosen to replace these qualified Nigerians with over 2,000 Indian workers,” the statement read.
PENGASSAN argued that the mass dismissal violated Section 7 of the Labour Act, which guarantees fair treatment for employees, and accused the refinery of ignoring due consultation and transparency in the decision-making process.
Union Warns, Demands Recall
The association warned that it would not tolerate what it described as a “blatant disregard” for workers’ rights, citing the Trade Union Act, which protects employees’ right to organise and seek representation.
“We emphasize that such actions illustrate a troubling trend towards the marginalization of Nigerian workers in favour of foreign labour, which we cannot, and will not, tolerate,” PENGASSAN said, adding that the workers’ recent decision to unionize was a legitimate step to protect their interests.
PENGASSAN urged Dangote Refinery to recall all dismissed workers immediately, warning that failure to comply would force it to explore all constitutional and legal avenues to ensure compliance with Nigerian labour laws.
Dangote Refinery, in its response, maintained that the decision was taken in the best interest of the company following “intermittent cases of sabotage” in some units of the facility, which it said posed safety risks and threatened operations.
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