For his investments, which have created
thousands of jobs across Africa, the African Industrial Global Union has
hailed the President of Dangote Group, Alhaji Aliko Dangote.
The body, at a meeting in Lagos, called
for a special recognition for the African entrepreneur, describing him
as a success story from Africa who African countries must be proud of.
At a network meeting on unionisation in
Dangote Group, organised by the Industrial Global Union, Africa Region,
in Lagos, the union leaders said Dangote has offered a relief to Africa
from the negative narratives the western countries latched on to
discredit the continent and her people.
They stated that as Dangote is so
patriotic as to dot African soil with billions of dollars investments,
creating jobs and reducing poverty, he needs to be given special
recognition to motivate others to toe similar line.
Relishing the prospect of an African
country hosting the largest refinery and petrochemicals project, the
union leaders said they planned to bring the business mogul to address
them at their next African meeting.
The Regional Secretary, sub-Sahara
Africa, Fabian Nkomo, said the body cherished Dangote’s business acumen
and would like to work closely with him to ensure that job quality is
maintained.
He said no African has invested so much
in Africa, so Dangote should be encouraged. “He has helped governments
across African states to create vital jobs and reduce poverty among our
people. The union is proud of him,” Nkomo stated.
The Africa Regional Chairman of
Industrial Global Union, Issa Aremu, who is also the General Secretary
of Textile Workers Union, praised Dangote for leading industrialisation
in the continent.
Aremu acknowledged Dangote’s efforts at
re-industrialisation of the continent, stimulating its growth and
creating jobs for its huge population.
The labour leader lauded Dangote’s
commitment to sustainable industrial development, urging governments to
provide favourable environment for investments and improve
infrastructural development.
He added that it was time Dangote Group
entered into mutually-rewarding engagement with relevant unions even as
he called on trade unions to support businesses through improved
productivity.
Aremu alluded to the $12b refinery,
petrochemicals and fertilizer projects, which, he said, will be a
revolution in the Nigerian industrial space when completed.
As partners in progress, Aremu pledged to ensure business-friendly unionisation of Dangote workers.
He also cautioned the unions involved to
be proactive and strategic in handling the exercise, saying, “We need
to show that we are partners to improve on the businesses of Dangote. We
are talking of unionization because there is an investment in which
workers are engaged. If there are no businesses, we can’t be talking of
unionism.”
The Industrial Global Union, with
headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, represents 50 million workers in
140 countries in the cement, mining, energy and manufacturing sectors.
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