The Trade Union Congress (TUC) has warned it will join the ongoing labour face-off between the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) and Dangote Petroleum Refinery if today’s Abuja peace meeting fails.
TUC’s Kano State Chairman, Comrade Mubarak Buba Yarima, disclosed this in an exclusive interview with DAILY POST, saying members of the umbrella labour body are already on standby.
“We have already placed our members on red alert. Once we receive a communique from PENGASSAN, we are prepared to act. You cannot trample on workers’ rights and expect us to keep quiet,” Yarima stated.
The crisis deepened after PENGASSAN accused Dangote Refinery of sacking hundreds of workers who joined the association and replacing some with expatriates—an action the union described as victimisation and a violation of constitutional rights.
In response, the Minister of Labour and Employment, Maigari Dingyadi, summoned both parties to an emergency meeting in Abuja. Ministry spokesperson, Patience Onuobia, said the minister appealed to PENGASSAN to reconsider its strike, warning that a shutdown in the oil sector could trigger severe economic and security consequences.
But Yarima insisted that labour rights must be respected. “We are not denying that Dangote has invested heavily and created jobs—we supported his efforts. But that does not excuse dismissing workers for joining a union. Total, Shell, and others have been here for decades and they all recognise unions. Why should this be different?”
He stressed that TUC’s position is rooted in fairness. “We are not lobbying for money or asking for anything extraordinary. All we want is for Dangote to reinstate those workers and respect their rights,” he added.
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