The IndustriALL Global Union has pledged its support to contribute to the success of Dangote Oil Refinery.
Leading a delegation of the union to the plant site in Ibeju-Lekki on Monday, Comrade Issa Aremu, the Vice President of the group, said they were there to express their appreciation to Aliko Dangote, Chairman of the Dangote Group.
“We are here to add our voice and support this project,” Aremu said.
“The project is the pride of Africa. We say that when you talk about investment patriotism, Aliko symbolizes that.”
IndustriALL, based in Geneva, was formed through the amalgamation of three industrial unions: the International Metalworkers’ Federation; the International Federation of Chemical, Energy, Mine and General Workers’ Unions, and the International Textile, Garment and Leather Workers’ Federation.
The group has a global membership of 50 million workers, with its objectives including fighting against precarious work, organizing workers, supporting industrialization and sustainable development, among others.
In Nigeria, membership of the group includes the National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers, the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association, National Union of Electricity Employees, among others.
The group was received at the site by S.N. Eachampati, Director of Construction, and Yinka Akande, Group General Manager, Corporate Relations.
Eachampati announced that mechanical works would be completed in June 2021 after which commissioning would commence. He said the 650,000-barrels per day refinery is the largest in the world to be built at the same time.
“The Aliko group has shown that we do not need to agonise; all we need to is to organize ourselves.,” Aremu said. “For me to discover that the biggest refinery project is taking place in Nigeria is very refreshing.”
Akande said the company had sent six tranches of 30 young newly recruited engineers each to India, to work at similar refineries. These trainees have a minimum of second class upper division results, and are expected to return to take over the running of the company, he said.
He extoled the virtues of Aliko Dangote, Africa’s richest man and chairman of the company. Dangote’s commitment, he said, was the force driving the project.
The refinery sits on a space that is eight times the size of Victoria Island, in Lagos. In addition to the refinery, the project also includes fertilizer and petrochemical plants.
Aremu said his group cares about the transfer of skills to ensure that Nigerians run the refinery well.
Building such a refinery, Aremu said, is the only way to go for Nigeria. “We cannot be importing petroleum products when we are exporting crude oil. You know we have to add value.”
He cited similar things done by the Dangote Group in the cement sector. “Look at the way you have turned Obajana around,” Aremu said, referring to the operations of Dangote Cement company. “You have added value to the lime stones, helping Nigeria become a net exporter of cement, from import dependence.”
He said the union was optimistic that the refinery would become a reality. “We are here as partners in progress, and we believe you will get it done,” he noted.
Aremu added however that, because they are a labour union, the group was interested in jobs. He sought to know the number of jobs, both direct and indirect, that would be created by the refinery. He also asked whether the workers would be given the freedom to associate.
“Our view is that as you take off, you should take off also with the workers’ organization,” he said. “We need to reciprocate. We are not against capital. Labour cannot be opposed to capital, and capital cannot be opposed to labour because we need each other. All we need is cooperation to get it done.”
Nigeria, Africa’s leading oil producer, currently imports all its petroleum products, and is also making plans to start importing from Niger Republic. For Aremu, “More than ever before, we are now restless to ensure that Nigeria moves from this wholesale importation to possibly export”.
He said the refinery should be positioned to take advantage of the African Continental Free Trade Agreement.
“The whole idea is that we shouldn’t just join the trade organization and de-industrialize ourselves. We should join to become a catalyst to drive industrialization and exports,” Aremu said.
