Redemption For Dangote Engineers! Re-Employed And Redeployed In Bold Company Shake-Up

The Dangote Refinery has reinstated the engineers it disengaged last month following its dispute with the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN).

According to The Punch, the affected staff members have now been redeployed under Dangote Projects Limited to various project sites across Borno, Zamfara, Benue, Ebonyi, Niger, Sokoto, and Kebbi States.

Some of the re-engaged engineers, who spoke anonymously, confirmed that they had been instructed to collect their new appointment and posting letters. Many of them, still graduate trainees at the time of their dismissal, have now been reassigned to coal mining operations in Benue, concrete road projects in Borno and Ebonyi, as well as rice processing facilities in the North-West.

“They basically re-employed all of us and posted us under Dangote Projects,” one of the affected workers told Punch.

A copy of one of the re-engagement letters sighted by the newspaper, titled “Offer of Trainee Engagement,” stated in part:

“Based on your performance at the assessment and subsequent interviews held with you, we are pleased to engage you as Engineer Trainee (Mechanical Engineering) for the coal project we are executing at Okpokwu, Benue State.”

The letter further explained that the engagement would last for two years, combining classroom and field training. Either party could terminate the contract with one month’s notice or salary in lieu. The letter was signed by Femi Adekunle, Chief General Manager, Human Asset Management.

Security Concerns Emerge

Despite the redeployment, some workers expressed unease over being sent to volatile regions.

“There’s no specific address or office mentioned in the letter for us to report to. Besides, some of these areas are known for security challenges,” one of the engineers said.
“PENGASSAN has advised us not to accept the letters yet and to wait for the outcome of ongoing discussions,” the worker added.

A senior official of the Dangote Group confirmed the redeployment, stating that the affected engineers would now be absorbed into other subsidiaries and projects within the conglomerate.

Last month, PENGASSAN had shut down oil and gas facilities nationwide after alleging that about 800 refinery workers were laid off for participating in union activities. The Dangote Group denied the claim, saying only a few workers accused of sabotage were dismissed.

The strike disrupted oil production and power generation across several facilities before the Federal Government intervened and directed the company to redeploy the affected engineers.

It was previously reported that Dangote considered reassigning the workers to its sugar and cement divisions as part of the settlement. However, it remains unclear whether all the previously sacked engineers will be fully reinstated, as the company had earlier alleged that some of them were involved in acts of sabotage “22 times.”