The Ila Touba highway, symbol of an ambitious project, hides behind its apparent modernity a much darker reality. For five years, workers in this infrastructure have denounced a series of flagrant injustices and abuses, revealed in a letter addressed to President Bassirou Diomaye Faye. According to Libération, this correspondence reveals precarious contracts, embezzlement of social security contributions, and unworthy working conditions.
Disgraceful working conditions and violated rights
The workers, employed since the launch of the highway in February 2019, denounce practices that they describe as “social vandalism”. According to their missive relayed by Libération, they point the finger at:
• Precarious and illegal contracts, which do not comply with Senegalese legislation.
• Non-payment of End of Contract Compensation (IFC) for three consecutive years (2019, 2020 and 2021).
• The misappropriation of social contributions (IPRES and CSS) collected since the start of their employment.
• A lack of protective equipment and working conditions that they consider degrading.
They also denounce a total absence of ministerial visits to see the reality of their situation, which, according to them, demonstrates a lack of interest on the part of the authorities in their grievances.
A controversial memorandum of understanding
The recent initiative to bring together all workers in a single entity, decided by Segea SA, seemed to mark progress. However, Libération reports that this hope was quickly tarnished by the signing of a memorandum of understanding considered doubtful and carried out without consultation of the main stakeholders.
This protocol, according to the workers, calls into question several of their fundamental rights, including:
• Payment of real salaries declared by Ageroute and Segea.
• Recognition of unpaid overtime (up to 32 hours per week).
• Implementation of a fair internal promotion policy.
A call for presidential intervention
Faced with this situation which they consider untenable, workers place their hopes in President Bassirou Diomaye Faye. “Your coming to power has revived our hopes for a strong and just State,” they write, while asking:
• A transparent audit of Segea SA’s social practices.
• Strict application of labor laws and labor inspection recommendations.
• An inclusive social dialogue, guaranteeing transparency between the different parties.
A scandal that calls for answers
The revelations relayed by Libération shed harsh light on the dysfunctions in the management of this strategic infrastructure. For many workers, this is not just a fight for their rights, but a fight to restore their dignity and trust in public institutions.
While the Ila Touba highway is often cited as a symbol of modernization, this social scandal highlights a worrying contrast between the image of progress and the reality experienced by those who ensure its operation. Will President Bassirou Diomaye Faye live up to expectations?
