Dangote Group Reaches Agreement to Redeploy Workers Dismissed by Refinery.
By Yahaya Zakka.
In a significant development following a series of reconciliation meetings, the Dangote Group has reached an agreement to redeploy workers previously dismissed by its subsidiary, Dangote Petroleum Refinery.
This resolution was announced by the Ministry of Labour and Employment on Wednesday.
The negotiations took place earlier this week, involving key figures including Aliko Dangote, the founder of the Dangote Group, alongside representatives from the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN).
The meeting was also attended by Wale Edun, the minister of finance and coordinating minister of the economy, and Mohammed Dingyadi, the minister of labour and employment.
According to the ministry’s statement, it was agreed that the workers who were disengaged would be absorbed into other subsidiaries of the Dangote Group without any loss of pay.
The meeting emphasized the importance of respecting workers’ rights to unionize as per Nigerian law.
“The Honourable Minister of Labour underscored that unionisation is a fundamental right of workers in Nigeria that must be upheld,” the ministry noted.
The agreement stipulates that the management of the Dangote Group will commence the process of reintegrating the affected employees into different companies within the group promptly, ensuring no worker faces victimization due to their involvement in the prior dispute.
In light of this resolution, PENGASSAN has agreed to initiate the process of calling off their nationwide strike, which was prompted by the dismissals on September 26. Both parties have expressed their commitment to this agreement, emphasizing a cooperative approach moving forward.
