Dangote Petroleum Refinery has accused labour unions of prioritising dues and personal interests over workers’ welfare, following threats of industrial action by the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC).
In a strongly worded statement, the refinery criticised the TUC for declaring solidarity with PENGASSAN “without hearing from Dangote management,” describing the move as “zombie like.”
“Without hearing from Dangote Refinery, the Congress has passed a guilty verdict on the Refinery’s management and now parrots the PENGASSAN line, zombie like, calling for a national industrial action if Dangote management fails to comply with its demands,” the company said.
Dangote further alleged that PENGASSAN’s push was driven by “check-off dues,” citing an interview in which the union’s president, Festus Osifo, reportedly confirmed a demand for dues the day after workers unionised. The company also accused union leaders of living “lavish and opulent lifestyles” while failing to account for funds collected from members. It challenged PENGASSAN, TUC and NUPENG to publish 10 years of audited accounts.
The refinery urged the federal government to resist attempts to drag Nigeria “back to the dark ages of energy insecurity and industrial sabotage,” stressing that the multi-billion-dollar facility is a national asset that must be protected.
Responding, the TUC insisted that no investor is above Nigerian law or international labour conventions. Bosun Olabiyi, TUC chairman in Oyo State and former PENGASSAN financial secretary, said:
“No investor is bigger than Nigerian law. The Constitution is clear, and Nigeria is a signatory to global conventions that protect workers. Dangote cannot ask for an exception because of his investment. If Total, ExxonMobil, Chevron, Agip, Shell, Halliburton, NNPC and NLNG have operated for decades in Nigeria with unions, there is no reason why Dangote should be different.”
Olabiyi added that workers at the refinery had raised long-standing concerns about welfare and conditions of service, which compelled them to unionise. He stressed that “any contract clause restricting union rights is null and void where it conflicts with the Constitution and labour laws.”
The standoff between Africa’s largest refinery and organised labour is intensifying, with both sides trading accusations as the threat of a nationwide strike looms.