Aliko Dangote, president of Dangote Group, says the DangotePetroleum Refinery has not displaced jobs, instead, it is creating employmentopportunities. The billionaire spoke on Monday while addressing the disputewith the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) during apress conference at the refinery. Dangote said the deployment of 4,000 trucks powered bycompressed natural gas is expected to create at least 24,000 jobs across thecountry. “We have not displaced any jobs; we are creating many more.The CNG trucks will not be operated by robots,” Dangote said. “Our employees earn salaries three times the minimum wage.Our drivers receive a living wage, life insurance, health insurance coveringthemselves, their spouses, and up to four children, as well as a lifelongpension. “We are not only employing drivers but also mechanics, fleetmanagers, and other professionals to support the CNG fleet.” Dangote refinery announced the acquisition of the trucks onJune 15, saying it will enhance the company’s fuel distribution capacity acrossthe country. On June 29, the refiner said its nationwide petroleumproducts distribution scheme will save Nigerians over N1.7 trillion annually. Three months later, NUPENG said workers will down theirtools and commence nationwide strike in protest of alleged anti-union practicesby Dangote refinery. On September 9, NUPENG suspended its two-day strike action –but threatened another industrial action two days later. ‘DANGOTE REFINERY IS NOT AGAINST UNIONS’ Sayyu Dantata, the founder of MRS Oil Nigeria Plc, saidDangote refinery is not against unionisation, and the plant was willing tocollaborate with NUPENG and other stakeholders irrespective of theiraffiliations. “But I want to make it categorically clear: we’re notagainst unions. We want to live side by side with them,” he said. “We don’t have any problem with that. You are welcome tocome here and do business.” The businessman said, just “like any other person,” therefinery read about the allegations levelled by NUPENG in the media. “What’s usually by law is you have to give notice over sevendays, and then you give another grace period of two weeks,” he said. “But still, we went to the meeting, and we were able toexplain that union is union, basically. And I do have a very good relationshipwith them, because I’ve been in the oil industry for 33 years. So they’re notnew to me. “But it was just really shocking that with the relationshipwe have, that they couldn’t reach out to say what was happening. Unionism forme and for the country, actually, by law, is not by force.” He said individuals are at liberty to decide what associationsthey want to join. “And here, of course, here at the refinery, it doesn’tmatter — Muslim, Christian, non-believer— whatever you are. Come here. We’llgive you product; pay for it and walk out. So we don’t have anything againstthem,” the MRS founder said. “They have free access to come here, and they can do theirbusiness.” He said the refinery treats its partners alike, whetherunion members or not, adding that “our own interest is the common man”. “Most of our drivers are not in unions; they want to beindependent because we make sure they earn a living wage,” the businessmansaid. He added that for the “first time, a Nigerian will say tohis children, I’m a truck driver, and he’s proud to say he’s a truck driver”. Dantata noted that truck drivers make sufficient income toprovide for meals, shelter, and schooling for their children.
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