Dangote Refinery Debunks Mass Sack Claim, Says Re-Organisation Is A Commitment To Safety, Workers’ Rights

Dangote Petroleum Refinery has clarified recent reports concerning the ongoing reorganisation within its facility.

This was gathered in a statement sent to NewsRain Nigeria.

The statement reads: “The Dangote Petroleum Refinery wishes to clarify recent reports concerning the ongoing reorganisation within its facility.

This exercise is not arbitrary. It has become necessary to safeguard the refinery from repeated acts of sabotage that have raised safety concerns and affected operational efficiency.

The foregoing decision was taken in the best interest of the Refinery as result of intermittent cases of sabotage in the various units of the Refinery with dire consequences on human life and related safety concerns.

We remain vigilant to our internal systems and vulnerabilities to ensure the long-term stability of this strategic national asset. It is imperative to protect the refinery for the benefit of Nigerians, our partners across Africa, and the thousands of people whose livelihoods depend on it.

Over 3,000 Nigerians continue to work actively in our Petroleum Refinery, at present. Only a very small number of staff were affected, as we continue to recruit Nigerian talent through our various graduate trainee programmes and experienced hire recruitment process.

We recognise and uphold internationally accepted labour principles, including the right of every worker to freely decide whether or not to join a union. Our commitment to workers’ rights is unwavering.

The Dangote Petroleum Refinery exists to serve Nigerians, to strengthen Africa’s energy independence, and to create decent, sustainable jobs. We will continue to work in partnership with our employees, regulators, and stakeholders to uphold the highest standards of safety, transparency, and accountability”.

Recall that a recent report went viral that the refinery had dismissed all Nigerian workers less than 24 hours after 90% of them joined the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN).

The union’s president, Festus Osifo, confirmed the development, stating, “Yes, it is true. We saw the letter late last night (Wednesday). I can assure you that they will recall all of them.“