The Dangote Petroleum Refinery has confirmed sacking some workers, saying that “only a small number were affected” in what it described as a reorganisation exercise.
This was contained in a statement on Friday clarifying reports concerning the “ongoing reorganisation within its facility”.
The statement said the action became necessary to safeguard the refinery from repeated acts of sabotage that “have raised safety concerns and affected operational efficiency”.
“Over 3,000 Nigerians continue to work actively in our Petroleum Refinery, at present,” the statement reads.
“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.”
The refinery said the exercise is not arbitrary, stressing that the decision was taken in the best interest of the refinery.
The statement also said the move was a result of intermittent cases of sabotage in the various units of the refinery, with dire consequences on human life and related safety concerns.
“We remain vigilant to our internal systems and vulnerabilities to ensure the long-term stability of this strategic national asset,” the company said.
It is imperative to protect the refinery for the benefit of Nigerians, our partners across Africa, and the thousands of people whose livelihoods depend on it.
“We recognise and uphold internationally accepted labour principles, including the right of every worker to freely decide whether or not to join a union. Our commitment to workers’ rights is unwavering.”
The refinery said it exists to serve Nigerians, to strengthen Africa’s energy independence, and to create decent, sustainable jobs.
The Africa’s largest refinery and the world’s largest single-train facility, promised to continue to work in collaboration with its employees, regulators, and stakeholders “to uphold the highest standards of safety, transparency, and accountability”.
Earlier on Friday, the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) said the refinery laid off some of its staff members, noting that the group was working to “resolve” the issue.
