Dangote Immensely commended by Global Bodies for investment in Africa

Global Organised Labour under the aegis of African Industrial Global Union has commended the President of Dangote Group, Alhaji Aliko Dangote for his strategic investments across African countries and creating thousands of jobs for the teaming population.

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 of.

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

They stated that much as an African could be so patriotic as to be dotting African soil with billions 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-Saharan 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.

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.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.

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 dollar Refinery, Petrochemicals and Fertilizer projects which he said will 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 unionization 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 Alhaji Aliko because we are talking of unionization because there is an investment in which workers are engaged. If there 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 values. 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. Industrial is a force in global solidarity taking up the fight for better working conditions and trade union rights around the world.

Nigerian Olympic Team Coach Robbed In The US

Nigeria Olympic team coach Samson Siasia has been robbed in Atlanta, Georgia, where his team have been training ahead of next month’s Olympic Games.

“It is true that my car was burgled but I have taken the necessary steps on the item stolen in the car,” Siasia confirmed.

“We are focused and preparing hard for the Olympics that is what I can tell you for now.”

Siasia’s team are due to play a final warm-up game against Honduras Olympic team on Tuesday before they depart for Brazil on Friday.The car Siasia has been using to run around for the team was broken into at the team’s hotel’s car park and his credit cards, two phones, the phone of his personal assistant Abu and some money were taken away.

Dog saves family from cobra attack

A dog on Sunday saved a family in Otuasega Community, Ogbia Local Government Area of Bayelsa from cobra attack. Mrs Catherine Isiki, who spoke in an interview on Tuesday in Yenagoa, described the attack as a “mystery to the family.” Isiki said that the cobra `invaded’ their home at about 1 a.m. on Sunday. “ I woke up as a result of alarm raised by my grand-daughter who was the first person to see the snake. “I am alive today because of a dog that saved me and my family; neighbours could not kill the cobra due its size. “Some of our neighbours could not even come near our compound due to fear; the Mastiff (dog) was awakened by the noise. “It was the dog that went straight to the room where the snake was and began to fight the cobra until it killed it. “I do not know how the snake managed to gain entry to our house because everywhere is tiled. “In fact, it would have been a tragic story if we did not have the dog as a pet in the house; yes, the dog finally killed the snake, but it was God’s intervention,” she said. Isiki appreciated God for sparing her family and encouraged people to keep dogs as pets. “Dogs can save you from any untold danger, just as my entire family was saved because I have a pet dog in my house,” Isiki said.

Akwa Ibom youths raze council secretariat over alleged marginalisation

Youths from Mkpat Enin Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom state on Wednesday, invaded the council secretariat, sent workers away and set some office blocks ablaze over claims of marginalisation.

Ikpa Ikono is one of the three clans that constitute the local government area. The youths alleged that their people have been consistently skimmed out in the sharing of political offices in the area.

It was gathered that their action followed the refusal of the political blocs in the area and the Commissioner for Ministry of Local Government And Chieftaincy Affairs to act on their petition bordering on the composition of the current local government caretaker committees.

A youth from the area who spoke on ground of anonymity said that their action was to express their anger before government in order to correct the anomaly.

The source who is a member of Uyo Ikpa Ikono Welfare Union, one of the socio-political groups in the area said that people Ikpa Ikono Clan have been marginalised in the political offices sharing in the local government for two terms.

“There are four clans in Mkpat Enin namely, Ukpom Mminya, Ikpa Ibom, Ikpa Ikono and Ibiaku. The immediate past transition committee chairman, Ephraim Akpan came from Ibiaku and the present one, Mrs. Ekaete Usip who was the former secretary in Ephraim Akpan administration comes from Ukpom Mmiya.

Mr. Ekom Obong James, Coordinator of Advocacy for Peace and Justice at the Grassroots, in a statement in Uyo said, “What is happening in Mkpat Enin calls for questioning. We are not happy with the marginalisation of Ikpa Ikono in the political scheme of things in the area. We have been consistently been marginalised in the composition of the local government caretaker committee.“The issue is that of all the nine member current caretaker committee, the Akwa Ibom State government did not consider it necessary to include somebody from Ikpa Ikono and this was the case in the previous transition committee. So, we think, the present political arrangement in the state does not think there are qualified sons and daughters of Ikpa Ikono who could be trusted to hold leadership positions. So, what has happened is a food for thought for those who provoked this protest”, he stated.

“Last year, nobody from the clan was deemed fit to be part of the caretaker committee and now again, nobody from the clan is considered eligible to be part of the caretaker committee in a local government area. The sharing of political offices in Mkpat Enin rotates around three clans only.

“What has happened I think is a timely warning to the godfathers that this local government area belongs to all of us and not just a few individuals”, James said.

Efforts to speak with the police public relations officer, (PPRO) Cordelia Nwewa, regarding the incident were futile as she did not pick calls.

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