NUPENG Gives Military 24-hour Ultimatum To Vacate SEEPCO

NUPENG Gives Military 24-hour Ultimatum To Vacate SEEPCO

The Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) on Thursday gave military personnel 24 hours ultimatum to vacate the premises Sterling Energy Exploration Company (SEEPCO) and its drilling arm, British Oil and Gas Limited (BOGEL).

The union president Comrade Williams Akporeha who gave the ultimatum  at a press briefing in Lagos yesterday sought immediate intervention of the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment, Group Managing Director of Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Chief of Army Staff, Inspector General of Police, and the Acting Director General of Department of State Security and other relevant stakeholders in the Oil and Gas industry to halt a brewing industrial relations crises in Kwale, Warri area of Delta States.

He noted that the used of brute force to eject workers from the premises through use of military personnel and armed militants is against the industrial relation law.

Akporeha stated that despite calls to relevant stakeholders to help nip the matter in the bud before it escalated in SEEPCO and BOGEL have both failed as the firms refused to rescind their decision.

The union’s president said the affected workers were sacked simply because they wanted to be unionised which is their legitimate right.

It recall that workers of these drilling rigs have overtly indicated their willingness and readiness to join the union of their choice and the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers has responded appropriately to the request of these workers with several requests for union recognition from the management.

He said rather than following path of decency and global best practices, the management of Sterling Energy Exploration Company (SEEPCO) and its drilling arm, British Oil and Gas Limited have resorted to high handedness and violence through the use of military men and armed militias to forcefully evacuate over 2500 workers from the five drilling rigs.

“These companies are Indian operated companies and NUPENG found it grossly unfortunate and unacceptable that these companies would be using brute force to dehumanize, terrorize, and victimize Nigerians in their own country.

“As a responsible and responsive trade Union organization, we cannot and shall not fold our arms and watch our members being dehumanized and terrorized in the course of demanding for their legitimate rights that are purely recognized by Labour rules and even International Labour Organization charter,” he added.