New Telegraph

Oil workers vow to ground Chevron’s assets

  • NUPENG, PENGASSAN order operations’ shutdown over sack

 

Labour unions in the oil and gas sector have directed their members in Chevron Nigeria Limited to ground the company’s operations  into a total halt. Oil production at the 210,000 barrels per day Agbami oilfield and operations at other assets of Chevron in Nigeria are now under threat.

 

National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas (NUPENG) and the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) gave the directive for total shutdown in a joint statement issued yesterday.

 

The unions were enraged by the sack of 600 Nigerian employees and other alleged anti-labour practices by the management of the company. Chevron is one of the largest oil producers in Nigeria.

 

In Nigeria, the firm operates under a jointventure arrangement with the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) for the onshore and offshore assets in the oil-rich Niger Delta.

 

The company also operates and has a 55 per cent interest in Oil Mining Lease (OML) 140. NUPENG’S President, Mr. Williams Akporeha, and PENGASSAN President, Mr. Festus Osifo, in a statement said: “We have directed our members in Chevron to withdraw their services.

 

 

“We also call on the Federal Government to call Chevron management to order, otherwise we can no longer guarantee industrial peace in the oil and gas sector. “Here is our fatherland and we have a labour law that regulates the activities of organisations in Nigeria; this law cannot be breached.

 

We must follow the process.” The duo alleged that Chevron management, on Independence Day, notified about 2,000 of its employees that their services were no longer required. Both leaders also alleged that the Chevron management had asked those employees who were still interested in working with them to apply afresh.

 

“This development runs contrary to Nigeria’s laws regulating the oil and gas industry as it does not protect our national interest. “This is an imperialist agenda that must not be allowed to stay; most especially as we have just finished celebrating our 60th independence as a sovereign country,” the duo said. CNL, at the weekend, confirmed that it will downsize its workforce in Nigeria by 25 per cent across various levels in the oil firm.

 

The oil firm said the development followed the evolving negative operational environment in the energy sector. Esimaje Brikinn, CNL’s General Manager Policy, Government and Public Affairs, noted that the 25 per cent job cut was to reposition the oil firm for greater efficiency and competitiveness.

 

“CNL and its affiliates confirms that it is reviewing its manpower requirements in the light of the changing business environment, while continuing to evaluate opportunities to improve capital efficiency and reduce operating costs.

 

“In this process, the company will be streamlining its workforce and improving service delivery and overall performance at all levels. “This will increase efficiency and effectiveness, retain value, reduce cost, and generate more revenue for the Federal Government of Nigeria,” he noted

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