The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Lagos State Chapter, has appealed to Dangote Industries Limited to allow its employees to join workers’ unions in order to safeguard their rights and welfare.
Lagos NLC Chairperson, Mrs. Funmi Sesi, made the call on Tuesday during a tour of the Dangote Petroleum Refinery and Dangote Fertiliser Plant by members of the Labour Writers Association of Nigeria and NLC officials.
Sesi noted that unionisation would not only help organise workers and address their concerns but also improve overall workplace efficiency.
“On behalf of the NLC President, Comrade Joe Ajaero, we want to say: Dangote, please give us a chance to unionise your workers,” she said.
She also urged the company to employ more indigenes from its host communities, citing labour laws that stipulate 70% of an organisation’s workforce should come from its catchment area, with only 30% allocated to expatriates.
In response, Mr. Devakumar Edwin, Vice President of Oil and Gas at Dangote Industries, reaffirmed the company’s commitment to training and employing people from host communities.
He disclosed that the group operates a training centre in Obajana, Kogi State, and plans to establish another in Lagos. He also highlighted that many Nigerian engineers, scientists, and technicians trained by Dangote have gone on to work as expatriates in various countries.
Edwin stressed the importance of harmonious relations with host communities.
“We have to ensure that the host communities are happy; otherwise, we will not be able to work,” he said.
According to him, Dangote Industries currently employs 22% of its workforce from host communities, 50% from the state, and the remainder from other parts of the country.
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