The Dangote Refinery management has confirmed that over 3,000 Nigerians are still working at the refinery despite a recent restructuring exercise. This exercise was aimed at addressing repeated cases of sabotage that posed serious safety risks and disrupted operations. The management clarified that only a small number of staff were affected by the restructuring, which was not a mass layoff but rather a clean-up process to identify and address internal breaches.
Key Points:
– Restructuring Reason: The refinery cited repeated acts of sabotage as the reason for the restructuring, which led to major safety concerns and operational disruptions.
– Number of Workers: Over 3,000 Nigerians continue to work at the refinery, with the management assuring that recruitment is ongoing through graduate trainee programs and experienced hire processes.
– Union Dispute: There’s an ongoing dispute between the refinery and the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) over unionization, with PENGASSAN accusing the refinery of anti-labour practices and demanding the reinstatement of fired workers.
– Management’s Stance: The refinery management maintains that the restructuring was necessary to safeguard the facility and ensure operational efficiency, while also upholding internationally accepted labour principles.
