Labour unions in Nigeria’s oil and gas sector have directed their members in Chevron Nigeria Limited to shut down the company’s oil production at the 220,000 barrels per day Agbami oilfield and other assets.
This was contained in a joint statement on Sunday signed by President of National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers, Williams Akporeha, and his counterpart in Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria, Festus Osifo.
They said, “We have directed our members in Chevron to withdraw their services.”
According to them, the unions were enraged over the sack of 25 per cent of Nigerian employees and other anti-Labour practices by the management of the company.
Financial Street reported previous week that the company had planned to downsize its workforce by 25 per cent, a decision opposed by the union.
“We also call on the Federal Government to call Chevron’s 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 leaders further said.
They also alleged that Chevron, on Nigeria’s Independence Day celebration, notified about 2,000 of its employees that their services were no longer required, and asked those employees who were still interested in working with them to reapply.
“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, especially as we have just finished celebrating our 60th independence anniversary as a sovereign country,” the duo said.
In a previous report by Financial Street, Chevron’s General Manager, Policy, Government and Public Affairs, Esimaje Brikinn, however, said the job cut was to reposition the oil firm for greater efficiency and competitiveness, adding that the welfare and safety of its workforce was one of its highest priorities.
