Fresh revelations have emerged over operations at the $20 billion Dangote Refinery in Lekki, Lagos, as one Nigerian engineer allege they were unfairly sacked and replaced by poorly qualified foreign technicians.
An engineer, who recently completed training at the refinery, confided in Igbo author and scholar known on Facebook as Maazi Ogbonnaya Okoro II, that despite contributing significantly to the plant’s commissioning and start-up, Nigerian professionals were dismissed under the guise of “reorganization.”
According to him, several Indian workers brought in by management lacked basic technical knowledge. “Some can’t even identify electrical devices, yet they earn far more than the highest-paid Nigerian engineer. The least-paid Indian technician earns more than us,” he said.
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He further alleged that Nigerian engineers had to buy their own personal protective equipment (PPE) and other work tools, while expatriates enjoyed full welfare packages including thousands of dollars in salary, free accommodation, balanced meals, transport, flight allowances, and paid leave.
The engineer also claimed that efforts to unionize were met with hostility. “Within hours of joining the union to protect our interests, we were branded saboteurs and sacked,” he added, accusing management of silencing workers despite earlier praise for their contributions.
He lamented that while the refinery currently runs at about 80 percent capacity across its 22 units, many skilled Nigerians who powered the start-up are now jobless. “It’s unfortunate that the masses are made to believe we sabotaged him. Meanwhile, we only asked for better working conditions,” he said.
Read his full message below:
“I was currently doing engineering training at Dangote refinery Lekki where some of the Indians there come with acclaimed 20yrs experience but we Nigerians will still be asked to brush Dem up on the work .
Some can’t even identify electrical devices not to talk of the use as regards to automation and control. Least paid Indian technician is above highest paid Nigerian engineer.
It’s really unfortunate that the capitalist man has sacked all Nigerian engineers at the refinery after we commissioned and started it up.
The plant is actually running 100% in 80% of the 22 units it has.We used our money to buy even PPE and many other things uses for the work.
Indians have all these from thousands of dollars salary with someone in ur same level and doing nothing but video call with their family at home, 3 x balanced rations, conducive accomodations and transport
Paid to them for flight to indian with leave allowance whereas nationals have non.
Many who were able to get job during these times left in 100s but others still scantling for job too.
We only asked for conducive work and requested for PPE which are at the warehouse but we were not allowed to take less than 5 hours of joining union so our interest would be protected, all of us were tagged saboteurs and sacked under the feeble pretence of reorganizing.
He had few days praised us on live media about our prowess and contribution to the start up and also claimed he wasn’t restraining us from joining union hence our quick jump into the union.
Money can do anything in Nigeria perhaps.
Ignorant naive masses believe him that we are sabotaging him , too bad for us as a collateral damage.”
