…As Presidency tells Nigerians: Beware of people smarting from suspended labour strike***
Labour unions in the oil and gas sector have directed their members in Chevron Nigeria Limited to commence a total shut down of the company’s operations following the sack of 600 Nigerian employees and other anti-Labour practices by the management of the company.
The Unions, National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas (NUPENG) and the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) gave the directive in a joint statement on Sunday.
NUPENG’S President, Mr Williams Akporeha, and the President, PENGASSAN, Mr Festus Osifo, 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 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.
Earlier in a statement, Chevron’s General Manager Policy, Government and Public Affairs, Esimaje Brikinn, said the welfare and safety of its workforce was one of its highest priorities.
Brikinn said: “Making changes to the organisation is never easy for anyone that will be impacted, but it is to improve our ability to remain competitive in Nigeria.
“Reducing the cost and improving the efficiency of our operations are critical to generating more revenues for the Federal Government of Nigeria,” he said.
In the meantime, the Presidency has alerted Nigerians on the activities of those it described as anarchists who are bent on causing social discontent among law-abiding citizens sequel to the suspension of industrial action by the organised labour.
Femi Adesina, the Special Adviser to President Muhammadu Buhari on Media and Publicity, gave the warning in a statement on Sunday in Abuja.
The Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC), had on Sept. 28, announced the suspension of their planned nationwide rally to protest increased in the pump price and electricity tarrif.
The organised labour, who suspended the strike and rally after a late-night meeting with a Federal Government team at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, also resolved to review their decision within two weeks, to monitor the implementation of their agreement with the government.
However, the presidential aide noted that some individuals and groups were not comfortable with the organised labour’s position, and hence had been sponsoring and encouraging discord and anarchy, either for selfish ends, or as revenge for perceived injuries.
”Since Organised Labour toed the path of sense and sensibility last week, seeing reason with the imperatives of fuel price adjustment, and opening a further window of dialogue on the service based electricity tariff, some groups of Nigerians have been dolorous, disgruntled, and disconsolate,” he said.
Adesina said the people had apparently perfected plans to use the strike by the labour unions as smokescreen to unleash anarchy on the land, fomenting mayhem and civil disobedience.
According to him, the plan blew up in their faces, and they have been in severe pains since then, adding that they have launched series of tirades against organised labour.
He said: ”For some interest groups; their intention was to use the umbrella of the strike to further their whimsical and pie-in-the-sky dream of a revolution in the country. It went bust in their faces.
Also read: As expected, NLC, TUC suspend nationwide industrial action for 2 weeks
”For some others; Bitter-Enders, who have remained entrenched in pre-2015 and 2019 elections mode, it was opportunity to avenge the 2012 Occupy Nigeria protests, which they believe largely devalued the government of the day, and led to its eventual ouster in 2015.
”The strike that was to have come up last week, they wanted to use as opportunity for a pound of flesh, which they calculated would weaken the government so much, and influence the 2023 elections.
”For them, it was all about hankering for power, its trappings and appurtenances. Nothing about the love of country. They have since then been calling Organised Labour all sorts of names, claiming they deceived Nigerians.
”The times in which we live-with severe security, economic and social challenges-call for all hands to be on deck, and goodwill and support for government, as it strives to put the nation on an even keel. We commend Organised Labour for putting the country first.”
The presidential aide, therefore, urged Nigerians to beware of those who are bent on creating unnecessary tensions and anarchy in the country.
According to Adesina, the Buhari government is only interested in engendering better quality of life for the citizenry.
