The Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC) has demanded a public apology from the management of the Dangote Petrochemical Refinery for dismissing over 800 Nigerian workers.
TUC Secretary General Nuhu Toro stated that the refinery violated the workers’ constitutional rights and called for the reversal of the dismissals.
Toro emphasized that unionization is a fundamental right and that workers have the right to belong to a union of their choice.
The TUC chief also alleged that the Dangote Refinery management operates double standards in its treatment of Nigerian workers compared to Indian expatriates, describing the controversy as “oppression” against the affected employees.
He argued that Dangote Refinery should allow its workers to belong to unions of their choice and reinstate the sacked workers.
The union is willing to shift grounds in the interest of Nigerians, but insists on respect for workers’ rights.
Toro dismissed public perception that the workers were not patriotic Nigerians and were sabotaging the economy, adding that they would resist alleged slavery by the Dangote Refinery. “Unions are patriotic Nigerians, and we don’t have any other country… What we will not take is slave labor,” he said.
