Staff of multinational oil and gas company ExxonMobil on Tuesday closed down the Lagos headquarters of the company over the sacking of 860 spy police without entitlements.
The company’s workers’ union protested the sacking of these workers, who were mostly Nigerians saying, they were sacked by ExxonMobil in breach of labour laws despite putting in over 22 years of service.
They also dropped a coffi painted in red at the gate of the company.
Speaking with NAN, Chairman of ExxonMobil Branch of the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN), Mr. Rasak Obe, said the protest was done so that management could feel unhappiness of the workers.
He expressed shock that the security personnel who had served the company faithfully for several years could be massively sacked. Obe demanded that the sacked workers be called back and all their entitlements paid to them.
He also urged the management to, without further delay, restore the 16 employees sacked in December 2016.
The union leader also insisted that the over 20 foreign personnel in the security department who are disobedient to the Nigerian laws and security command be released and sent back to their country.
Obe said that the Supreme Court of Nigeria made amends to the problem when judgement was passed for 508 personnel in April 20, 2018.
“This underscored the scale of error in company’s assessment of the reality after the Supreme Court judgment. There are tens more who, by the judgment, are active employees of Mobil Producing Nigeria Unlimited.
“To say the least, this wholesale sack unambiguously conveys management’s disdain for the highest court of the country and mocks its ruling on subject.”
According to Obe, ExxonMobil arbitrarily sacked its Nigerians and replace them with expatriates.
“The cost of keeping one of the over 20 expatriate security personnel in Nigeria would pay 100 of the Nigerian security personnel currently being repressed,” he said.
“This impunity has been raised with HR and Law since February 2018, but the company continues to ignore our advice.”
Mr Ogechukwu Udeagha, the Manager, Media and Communications of ExxonMobil, acknowledged the protest, saying: “Following the recent judgment of the Supreme Court of Nigeria, Mobil Producing Nigeria would provide compensation packages for affected personnel.
“And it is offering Human Resource, consulting services to assist with employment opportunities with third parties.
“MPN typically retains security services through third parties who are best positioned to provide these core competencies. We thank these individuals for their prior service in supporting the safety and security of our operations in Nigeria.”
