Former Kaduna lawmaker, Senator Shehu Sani, has appealed to the management of Dangote Petroleum Refinery over the recent dismissal of some Nigerian workers. He asked the company to recall the affected staff and respect their rights to unionize.
Sani also urged the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) to suspend its planned action of cutting off gas supplies to the refinery in protest. According to him, while the refinery is a pride to the nation, workers’ rights must not be trampled upon.
In a statement shared on his X handle on Monday, the former senator stressed that freedom of association is protected by Nigerian law. He wrote that the refinery should recall the dismissed workers and that PENGASSAN should reconsider its hard stance for the sake of industrial harmony.
The development comes as tension grows between Dangote Refinery and PENGASSAN, following reports that Nigerian employees were laid off over their attempt to join trade unions.
