The National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas and the Petroleum and Natural Gas (NUPENG) Senior Staff Association of Nigeria have directed their members in Chevron Nigeria Limited (CNL) to commence a total shutdown of the company’s operations over the sack of Nigerian employees.
In a statement jointly signed by Prince Williams Akporeha, the President of NUPENG, and his PENGASSAN counterpart, Mr Festus Osifo, the unions said, “Chevron management was using the COVID-19 pandemic as an excuse to ease out Nigerian workers from the company while it continued to engage expatriates to do jobs that Nigerians were qualified to perform.”
The unions said it gathered that Chevron management notified about 2,000 of its employees last Thursday that their services were no longer required and that those still interested in working with them could apply afresh.
“We are against this imperialist agenda. We are going to check this manipulation. We have directed our members in Chevron to withdraw their services and 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,” it said.
Chevron Nigeria Limited said on Friday that it would slash its workforce by 25 per cent as it is reviewing its manpower requirements in the light of the changing business environment.
The oil major said it would continue to evaluate opportunities to improve capital efficiency and reduce operating costs.
CNL’s General Manager Policy, Government and Public Affairs, Esimaje Brikinn, said, “The aim is to have a business that is competitive and have an appropriately sized organisation with improved processes.
“This will increase efficiency and effectiveness, retain value, reduce cost, and generate more revenue for the Federal Government of Nigeria.”
