*Organised Labour leaders commend the investment patriotism of Alhaji Aliko Dangote is unparalleled

Isola Moses | 绿帽献妻

In regard to the economic benefits accruing from the multi-billion Dollars 650,000 barrel per day (bpd) capacity Dangote Refinery currently under construction at Lekki, in Lagos, Nigeria, organised Labour at the weekend threw its weight around the project. The Labour leaders described the endeavor as 鈥渁 singular investment that will define the future of Nigeria and the African continent,鈥� report said.

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) leaders and their counterparts such as Textile, Chemical, Electricity, Automobile, Engineering, Petroleum and Gas, who are affiliates of international labour platform called IndustriALL Global Union said the size of the refinery project spoke volumes of the entrepreneurial spirit of Aliko Dangote.

The Labour urged the Federal Government to give all the supports needed to aid timely completion of the project.

Dangote Refining Petrochemicals Complex

According to them, the Labour leaders recalled that more than 40 鈥渉andbag businessmen鈥� were initially issued licence to operate refinery during the Obasanjo regime but unfortunately, none of them has been seen to clear the land let alone starting construction.

Babatunde Olatunji, President of the National Union of Chemical Rubber Leather and Non-Metalic Products Employees (NUCFRILAMPE), who doubles as the Auditor of the NLC and Chairman of the Nigerian Council of IndusriALL Global Union, said the investment patriotism of Aliko Dangote is unparalleled.

Olatunji stated that the labour has recommended that Alhaji Aliko Dangote to United Nations for Africa Industrial Development Ambassador.

He explained that the labour leaders were motivated to give their views to journalists on their findings on the Dangote Refinery after a working tour of the project in Lagos because of the massive potential job opportunities and the economic benefits upon completion, which is what labour is after.

A visit to the refinery, according to him, was in tandem with the industrial development sustainability goal of the global union.

The union also has as part of the goals the defence of workers right, building union power, fighting precarious wok and engaging capital.

The Labour leader said: 鈥淭o our amazement, we couldn鈥檛 move round the whole of the refinery and the fertilizer sites because of the huge size which 8 times bigger than the present Victoria Island.

鈥淯pon completion, the refinery alone is capable of employing directly 300,000 workers while the fertilizer will attract about 5,000 direct jobs.

鈥淭his is highly welcome in view of the present jobs depleting economy of Nigeria.

鈥淲ith the present policies and efforts towards the diversification of Nigeria鈥檚 economy, the fertilizer plant shall encourage and enhance agricultural sector in no small measure as there shall be massive food production while cash crops shall equally constitute raw materials for our manufacturing sector and for exportation.鈥�

鈥淣igeria urgently needs to industrialise by evolving good economic and industrial policies that will encourage investment culture of individuals,鈥� Olatunji stated.

He said that labour is so pleased with Dangote for all his investments, saying if there is no investment, there won鈥檛 be jobs, when there are no jobs, there won鈥檛 be workers, when there are no workers, there won鈥檛 be unions, this is why we have to do all to encourage people like Dangote.

If we have 20 of Dangote in Nigeria, the country will be an industrial hub in Africa, he said.

It was learnt discovered Olatunji then disclosed that the union has recommended the foremost industrialist Dangote for the award of Industrial Development Ambassador (IDA) by the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO) and Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment.

Issa Aremu, immediate past Secretary of the Textile workers union who is the Vice President, IndustriALL Global Union (IGU), Africa, maintained that for Africa to move forward, Africa must trade on goods produced locally to stimulate competitiveness within the region, which exactly is the approach of the Dangote Group.

Recalling how past leaders leaders developed each of the North, East and West through resources from agricultural produce and how Nigeria was once self-sufficient in petroleum production before it became a net exporter now, Mr Aremu said the Dangote refinery is on the verge of correcting the anomaly.

The Labour leader described as a shame of a nation that it will take an ingenuity of someone like him to bring Nigeria back on the map of countries whose people are striving to make the country industrial nation.

Ahead of the January 1, 2021, takeoff of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), Africa must industrialise to achieve this without relying on international markets.

While calling for an urgent need to address insecurity lapses in the country, Aremu added that insecurity is becoming a threat to industrialisation, and also a threat to a successful realisation the AfCFTA.

鈥淲hether we are going to develop or not depends on our ability to provide security for all,鈥� he added.

Mbang Ntukube, SecretaryLL Global, 聽who spoke on the Dangote Refinery while lauding the size of the investment in the refinery, petrochemical and the fertilizer, urged the government to see the need to start providing critical infrastructure now before the situation goes out of hand when the refinery becomes operational.

Ntukube insisted that Dangote could not afford to put in place such economy transformative projects and still be expected to be constructing the roads.

鈥淕overnment has to start now. That is purely government鈥檚 responsibility.

鈥淚f Dangote gives us refinery, jobs, foreign exchange, will he still be expected to provide roads and other amenities. Certainly no.鈥�

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