NLC CALLS FOR JUSTICE, FAIR TREATMENT OF WORKERS AS WORLD MARKS DECENT WORK DAY
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By Aishat Momoh. O.
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has urged the government and private sector employers to ensure justice, fairness, and respect for workers’ rights as the world marks Decent Work Day.
NLC President, Mr. Joe Ajaero, made the call in a statement issued in Abuja on Tuesday, stressing that the rights and welfare of Nigerian workers must not be compromised.
Ajaero said the global observance offers an opportunity to demand an end to exploitation, impunity, and poor working conditions across workplaces in Nigeria.
He urged all stakeholders to uphold the four pillars of decent work job creation, social protection, rights at work, and social dialogue as recognised by the International Labour Organization (ILO).
According to Ajaero, these principles are increasingly undermined by both government institutions and private employers, thereby hindering industrialisation and economic diversification.
“No nation can achieve sustainable development while repressing workers’ rights and promoting inequality,” he said.
The NLC president also reacted to the recent industrial dispute between the Dangote Refinery and the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN), which led to a shutdown of critical oil and gas facilities last week.
PENGASSAN accused the company of unlawfully sacking 800 workers who joined the union, while the refinery maintained that only a few employees were dismissed for acts of sabotage as part of an internal reorganisation.
Ajaero condemned what he described as an attempt to frame legitimate union activities as sabotage, insisting that no company in Nigeria is above the law.
He commended PENGASSAN for standing in defence of its members and urged the federal government to protect workers’ rights rather than side with powerful employers.
“The sacred cow syndrome must end. Labour laws must be strictly enforced, and the protection of vulnerable workers should remain a national priority,” Ajaero said.
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