₦airaland Forum

Some of the engineers sacked by the Dangote refinery for allegedly joining the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria have decried the plan to redeploy them to sugar, cement and other business units under the Dangote Group.

The workers, who spoke with The PUNCH anonymously due to the sensitivity of the matter, said the company was victimising them for unionisation.

However, the Dangote media team debunked these claims on Wednesday, saying there are PENGASSAN members still working in the refinery.

PENGASSAN shut down oil and gas facilities between Sunday and Tuesday last week over allegations that 800 refinery workers were fired for volunteering to be members of the union.

But the Dangote refinery said it only sacked a few workers who were sabotaging the facility, tagging it reorganisation.

Oil and gas workers went on strike in defence of their colleagues, causing the nation losses in oil and gas production as well as a drop in power generation.

The intervention of the Federal Government restored peace as the Dangote Group was asked to redeploy the sacked workers.

Speaking with our correspondent, the workers said they have yet to be recalled or redeployed as of Tuesday.

Sources within the Dangote Group had earlier told our correspondent that the company was ready to redeploy the engineers to its sugar and cement plants.

It was learnt that the company would also recruit new engineers to replace the redeployed ones, and the redeployment would be a huge loss to the company.

Our correspondent also gathered that some of the 800 workers could be deployed to units within the group’s operations outside the country.

But the affected workers said they were not pleased with the development.

According to them, their appointment letters showed that they were specifically employed by the refinery and not the Dangote Group, saying being transferred out of the company that employed them would be unfair to them, and wondering how a petrochemical engineer would cope at a sugar plant.

“It is victimisation. How will you redeploy us from the refinery to sugar or cement plants? It is not fair. Most of us weren’t employed by the Dangote Group; we were employed by Dangote Petroleum Refinery and Petrochemicals. If we were employed by the Dangote Group, we would know that we could be redeployed from one unit to another. This is like victimising us. Some of us are petrochemical engineers; how do you want them to cope? It is affecting some of us psychologically,” they said.

The engineers disclosed that they have been sitting at home since September 25, after the company issued a letter to sack all staff, though the company said it sacked a few workers for sabotage.

According to the engineers, 800 of them were asked to stay away pending when they would be redeployed. They recalled that previous attempts to access the refinery were rebuffed by security agents at the gate.

“Currently we are at home; we are not allowed to go into the refinery. The management said they would get back to us as far as the redeployments are done, but we have not heard anything so far. There were times when we tried to enter the refinery, but we were sent back. There are pictures of those incidents,” they said.

It was stated that Indian nationals were the only ones operating the refinery at the moment, as all Nigerian engineers were sent away for joining the union.

“At the moment, only Indians are running the refinery. All Nigerian engineers were sacked because we joined PENGASSAN,“ they alleged.

Recall that the refinery had earlier dismissed this allegation, saying, “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.”

Speaking further, the workers explained that they wouldn’t have joined PENGASSAN if they were well paid. They clarified that the decision to join PENGASSAN came after the Dangote management announced that workers were free to unionise.

“We wouldn’t have joined PENGASSAN if we were well paid. Our salary is around N400,000, and after deductions, it falls below tha[/b]t.

“[b]We didn’t plan to join PENGASSAN; the management announced it themselves that workers were free to unionise. We joined PENGASSAN, and it became an issue,” they expressed worries.

On allegations of sabotage, the engineers declared their love for the $20bn refinery, saying they would never sabotage a facility they helped build.

“We cannot sabotage the refinery. We love the refinery. Some of us built it from the beginning. How can we sabotage what we built? It is not possible. We’ve been very committed, and we were doing everything to ensure the success of the plant for the good of all Nigerians.

“As it is, we are all waiting for our posting letters. There’s nothing we can do now because the issue has become a national issue. The presidency is now involved. But we are not guilty of anything. Our only ‘crime’ is that we joined PENGASSAN,” the engineers submitted.

Dangote Group debunks allegations

Meanwhile, the Dangote Group debunked the claims of the affected workers.

According to the group, the engineers were sacked for sabotaging the facility and not because they joined PENGASSAN.

A senior official of the company told our correspondent that PENGASSAN members are still working within the refinery presently.

“Those guys were sacked because of their acts of sabotage. Nobody is victimising them. Their September salary has been paid. Can we call that victimisation? They were not sacked for joining PENGASSAN. We have PENGASSAN members still working with us.

“They should also know that all of us in Dangote can be moved to anywhere within the company. You can be moved from cement to refinery, sugar, salt or fertiliser. That is the business. Many of us have been moved in the past,” the official noted.

He denied the allegation that the engineers were paid below N400,000 as salaries.

“The claim of a N400,000 monthly salary is an outright falsehood; it is far more than that,” he emphasised.

The PUNCH recalls that the Dangote refinery had in recent weeks come under fierce attacks. It began with the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers and the Depot and Petroleum Products Marketers Association of Nigeria, which accused the plant of “monopolistic practices and unfair pricing” after slashing petrol prices.

https://punchng.com/dangote-refinery-engineers-on-warpath-over-fresh-redeployment/

Image 1 - Dangote at the refinery
Image 2 - Alleged worker’s payslip

PENGASSAN team sef messed up.. why reach an agreement with the oppressor that oil workers should be posted to fields of work outside their background?.. Isn't that a clear sign they would be laid off once they have been removed from their initial job?

You guys were employed in a Refinery, You started doing Union nonsense. Now you guys have moved from PENGASSN to CEMENTSSN and SUGARSSN

Wetin sup nau.






















Please don't make racist and tribalistic comments on this section
Ehn?

Pengassan Them don use the sacked staff issue collect bribe .

That's why office politics is funny

the pay is too poor.

but he will be paying the indians at their level much higher

If this decision is for good to Nigerians, may this decision stand. This country has suffered so much and need liberation.

You guys should be looking for other job, because you be flushed out, one by one before 3 yrs.

Season two of the film about to start because I don't think those people will agree.

It is what it is. You don't join the enemy of your brother to fight your brother.

How can PAYE be morethan PENSIONS, I just can't wrap my head around it 🤷🏿


Someone that knows some of them should kindly advise them to Japa. Use the company gained experience as a stepping stone

Maxymilliano:
https://punchng.com/dangote-refinery-engineers-on-warpath-over-fresh-redeployment/

Image 1 - Dangote at the refinery
Image 2 - Alleged worker’s payslip

That salary is too poor for a petro engineer working at dangote refinery. a multinational refinery that trades in dollars paying its staff a paltry sum of 400,000 naira. too poor

They gave you opportunity to work with Dangote refinery with prestige but you decide to join a union that is at war with us on your boss. He sacked you and gave you soft landing. Now you're complaining. Let the union employ you if they really care about you.

I said it earlier, what competencies are they taking to the sugar and cement factories. So pe otilo. I told people Dangote is not paying fatabulous salary. N400K for a graduate, ni economy Tinubu.

They are already on the blacklist


Any slight mistake, fiam

all those engineers must be from the south. very ungrateful individual

Dem na expatriate while Nigerians na wahalatriate

ZombieDredd:
the pay is too poor.

but he will be paying the indians at their level much higher

Good for them, you want to ruin another man business because of greed, its not a must to work in Dangote

Warpath on top ya papa company Bah?

ZombieDredd:
the pay is too poor.

but he will be paying the indians at their level much higher

Why not employ them and pay them more than Dangote refinery or is it FORBIDEN TO EMPLOY PEOPLE in your village?
A refinery that is just taken off should use personal cost to kill it self.

Nwaikpe:
Let us get it straight:

Dangote will not win this.
No one can fight the constitution and win.

Unlike what the vice president ignorantly said, Dangote is an individual, not an institution. His organization is an institution that must abide by the laws of the country.

It is clear: no one can be victimized for their enshrined right to associate and be a part of any lawful group they so wish to. That is why it is good to listen to your lawyer if you employ one rather than teach the lawyer when you employ them.

People that call the shots dey talk, you dey here dey analyse.
The worse that will happen is both parties will come to a compromise, but Dangote must make his statement.

Do these guys know that dangote no be government work... and he actually has the right to sack them anytime he wants

Gotocourt:
How can PAYE be morethan PENSIONS, I just can't wrap my head around it 🤷🏿


Someone that knows some of them should kindly advise them to Japa. Use the company gained experience as a stepping stone

Same worldwide.

Taxes are always more than your pension contributions.

osuofia2:
Good for them, you want to ruin another man business because of greed, its not a must to work in Dangote

Stop using emotions to think, sometimes be objective!...

You sack all Nigerian Engineers in a single day with the term "sabotage". The company cannot still explain the type of sabotage and how it involves all the Nigerian nations. Some of you make all this comments because of political affiliations. I have friends there with family that are greatly affected by this without even knowing the crime the committed. Some of them did not even join the union, but they were sacked.

"We cannot sabotage the refinery. We love the refinery. Some of us built it from the beginning. How can we sabotage what we built? It is not possible. We’ve been very committed, and we were doing everything to ensure the success of the plant for the good of all Nigerians."

Up till now, the Dangote Refinery has not told Nigerians the 'sabotage' 800 Nigerians did. If people want to commit such a criminal act, why would they need up to 800 people? These guys are just been victimized and unfortunately even the custodians of the Nigerian laws have shoved them aside.

This employees are highly ungrateful. I mean, who should you be loyal to, the person that employ you or an outsider?
Is the outsider paying your Bill's?
Cam an employee be dictating to the employer?

Open your company and employ people. When you sack them, come and talk this rubbish

Very foolish set of workers.
What benefits do they want from PENGASSAN rather than to sabotage their organisation, Dangote which is paying them good.
Had it been the issue is joining a professional body, then we may have an argument but PENGASSAN? It a no no!

Please go to the Sugar and cement factory.

The affected workers have suddenly come to the sad and stark realization that they have been tricked by PENGASSAN and have now been left in the lurch.

I would advise them to seek employment with PENGASSAN or NUPENG, if they so wish.

They forgot that they became petrochemical engineers, in the first place, courtesy of the large-heartedness of Dangote who they sought to sabotage due to bad advice and mindless greed.

The proverb that says "a bird in hand is worth two in the bush" is now staring them in the face.

They should be contented and thankful that they are still receiving their salaries as we speak.

They are now at the mercy of Dangote in deciding what lies ahead for them.

Had I known is always at last!


Ntoor!!!



@hotseat