Global Labour Leaders Hail Dangote’s Massive Investment in Africa

Crusoe Osagie
For his strategic investments across African countries and creating thousands of jobs, the Global Organised Labour, under the aegis of African Industrial Global Union, has commended the President of Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote, for his patriotism and investment  in Africa.

The body, at a meeting in Lagos, called for special recognition for the African entrepreneur, describing him as a success story from African soil for which African countries must be proud.

Speaking at a network meeting on unionisation in Dangote Group, organised by Industrial Global Union, Africa Region in Lagos, the union leaders, one after another, said Dangote has offered a relief to Africa from the negative narratives the western countries latched on to discredit Africa and her people.

They stated that much as an African could so patriotic as to be dotting African soil with billion of dollars investments to create jobs and reduce poverty, he needs to be given special recognition to motivate others to tow similar line.

Relishing on the prospective of an African country hosting the single largest Refinery and Petrochemicals train project, the union leaders said it was planning in their next African meeting to bring the business mogul to address global union leaders.

Regional Secretary, sub-Sahara Africa, Fabian Nkomo said the body cherished the  business acumen of Dangote and would like to work closely with him so that as he creates jobs, the union could also partner to ensure job quality is maintained.

He said he has moved round Africa and discovered no one else has invested so much in Africa as an Africa and therefore Dangote should be encouraged.
“He has help governments across African states to create vital jobs and reduce poverty among our people, the unions are very proud of him,” Nkomo stated.

In his remark, the Africa Regional Chairman of Industrial Global Union, Issa Aremu, who is also the General Secretary of Textile Workers Union commended Aliko Dangote for leading industrialisation in the Africa continent.
Aremu acknowledged the remarkable efforts of Aliko Dangote at re-industrialisation of the continent, stimulating the continent’s growth and creating more jobs for its huge population.

The labour leader lauded the commitment of Dangote to sustainable industrial development and urged government to provide favourable environment for investments as well as improvement in infrastructural development.
Dangote Group was commended for the strong network of branches across the Africa continent; Nigeria, Ghana, Cote d’ Ivoire, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Senegal, South Africa, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Tanzania, Congo, Cameroun, Kenya, Ethiopia among others.

Aremu added that it was time Dangote group entered into mutually rewarding engagement with relevant unions with a view to unionisation even as he called on trade unions to support business through improved productivity.
He alluded to the $12 billion refinery, petrochemicals and fertilizer projects which he said would be a revolution of the Nigerian industrial space when completed.

As partners in progress, Aremu pledges the support and cooperation of Industrial Global to ensure business-friendly unionisation of the Dangote workers.

He nevertheless cautioned the unions involved to be proactive and strategic in approaching the exercise saying: “We need to show that we are partners to improve on the businesses of Dangote because we are talking of unionisation because there is an investment in which workers are engaged. If there are no businesses, we can’t be talking of unionism.

“So first and foremost, we must be seen to be part of forces that are protecting investments. We are not business killers, if anything we are adding value. So, we cherish him as one of the few Nigerians making a good story out of Nigeria and Africa and would like to collaborate with him.

Industrial Global Union with headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, represents 50 million workers in 140 countries in the cement, mining, energy and manufacturing sectors.  It is a force in global solidarity taking up the fight for better working conditions and trade union rights around the world.

In attendance were the leadership and organisers of industrial affiliate unions in Nigeria; National Union of Textile Garment and Tailoring Workers of Nigeria (NUTGTWN), Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas (NUPENG), Chemical and Non Metallic Products Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (CANMPSSAN), National Union of Chemical, Footwear, Rubber, Leather and Non Metallic Products Employees (NUCFRLAMPE), Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN), Steel and Engineering Workers Union of Nigeria (SEWUN) and National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE).  The Africa Regional Secretary of Industrial Global Union, Comrade Fabian Nkomo, attended the meeting with a representative of Dangote Group.

Related Articles