The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) President, Joe Ajaero, has faulted Vice President Kashim Shettima for describing the Dangote Refinery as a national asset, saying such a stance undermines Nigeria’s labour laws.
In a statement on Tuesday, Ajaero said no private company, no matter its influence or size, should be placed above the country’s legal and regulatory framework.
He described Shettima’s statement as “a national tragedy,” warning that it sends a dangerous signal that political power and wealth can override workers’ rights and the rule of law.
Ajaero accused the Dangote Group of violating employees’ freedom of association and preventing them from joining trade unions of their choice. He defended the actions of the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN), saying it was simply protecting its members from exploitation.
“No company, no matter how big or well-connected, can operate outside the law or be bigger than Nigeria,” he declared. “If the Dangote Refinery is to be granted rights above the law, then the government must be prepared for the storms such injustice will unleash. There can be no peace without justice.”
Ajaero accused the government of siding with powerful corporations instead of defending the rights of workers, describing the development as “a declaration of class war” that pits the state against the vulnerable.
He warned that tolerance for corporate impunity and political bias endangers both industrial harmony and national stability.
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