Africa’s richest man, Aliko Ɗangote, has responded to the recent dispute between his company and the oil workers’ union, NUPENG, over his newly purchased trucks meant to move fuel from his refinery to filling stations across Nigeria.
Recall that the union had raised concerns that the new development could put many of their drivers out of work. But Ɗangote dismissed those fears, insisting that no one is losing their jobs because of the trucks.
In a video which was circulated on social media at the weekend,h e explained that his company has actually launched nearly 3,980 bulk cargo trucks, and the real challenge is not job losses but finding enough qualified drivers. “Drivers are now very difficult to get, and we are not the only ones buying trucks”, he said.
To make sure the drivers are well prepared, Ɗangote revealed that his company has training schools because safety remains the top priority. He added that every truck costs between ₦175 million and ₦190 million, depending on the type, and that the company has already invested close to ₦2 trillion in trucking.
“We have invested almost 2 trillion Naira in terms of trucking, how can somebody now just say no, don’t operate, park. Where and how?” Dangote asked.
He stressed that the investment is not taking jobs away but rather creating more opportunities. “Nobody will lose their job. We’re creating more jobs, and we’re even looking for people”, he said.
