Graduates of the Itsekiri nationality, under the aegis of the National Association of Itsekiri Graduates (NAIG), have threatened to shut down Chevron Nigeria Limited (CNL) for secretly allegedly employing about 300 persons against extant laws.
The graduates averred that the action was “in flagrant disregard to the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry Content Dev. Act 2010”, and therefore threatened to shut down the company if those mobilized for the perceived vacancies were not Itsekiri, Ijaw and Ilaje.
The apex graduates’ body, in an electronic statement released Monday, April 8, demanded that those purportedly engaged recently by CNL, be demobilised and sent back immediately, while Itsekiris are called up to occupy at least 60 per cent of the alleged vacancies.
The statement by NAIG was signed by the association’s President and Secretary, Messrs Ben Eyitemi Eburajolo and President Mino Esiategiwa.
According to them, “Our attention has been drawn to the current recruitment being done by Chevron Nigeria Limited where about 300 persons have either been called for medical or mobilised to resume work at various locations nationwide.
“It is disheartening to know that Chevron Nigeria Limited, operator of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) JV in OML 49, OML 90, OML 95, EGTL, Chevron Tank Farm, Agbami, Sonam, etc conducted such a large scale recruitment, without publishing it in any national dailies or on their official website nor through a third party.
“National Association of Itsekiri Graduates (NAIG) discovered from our investigation that several of these new intakes have resumed in various locations while others will resume this week.
“The new intakes have resumed in all Chevron locations such as CNL Offshore, Onshore, Deep Water, Warri and Lagos facilities, South Offshore Area: Okan PP, Okan GGCP, SOWIP, SONAP, Delta PP, Delta South PP, Meji PP, Meji GGCP, BOP, NWP, SAT 1 and 2
“North Offshore Area: Parabe PP, Opolo PP, Malu PP, Ewan PP, Isan PP, Meren PP, Meren WIP, Meren GGCP.
“Onshore Area: Olero PP, Olero GGCP, Debi PP, Debi Gas Facility, Abiteye Facility, Macaraba Facility, Utunana PP, Opuekeba PP.
“Escravos Operational Area, Chevron Tank Farm, EGTL, EGP; Deep Water Facilities: Agbami FSO, FSO; WARRI facilities; Lagos main office, (Note: They employ into all the departments in CNL): Operations, HSC, Facilities’ Management, PGPA, SCM, HR, Other Departments & Units.
“We find it provocative that Chevron has decided to undermine not just the Itsékiri Nation, who are the major host to its operations in Nigeria once more, but conducted this recruitment in flagrant disregard to the Nigerian Oil, and Gas Industry Content Dev. Act 2010.
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“This employment was conducted in secrecy, without giving opportunity of participation to ELIGIBLE Itsekiri Graduates only shows that Chevron has declared war on the Itsekiri Nation and as such should leave our land immediately else we can’t guarantee the safety of their operations in our land any longer unless all those mobilized to resume in all locations listed above that are not from any of the host ethnic nationalities (Itsekiri, Ijaw, and Ilaje) are demobilised and sent immediately while Itsekiris are called up to occupy at least 60% of the vacancy available, without undergoing any aptitude test or interview as already done by Chevron to those whom they are to replace.
“We wish to emphasize that CNL has been marginalizing the Itsekiri Nation for over 30 years since it acquired Gulf assets and expanded its operations in our land, not only in terms of employment and human capacity building but also in terms of Corporate Social Responsibilities (CSR) as there is no medical centre/hospital built and equipped in any of the Itsekiri Host Communities, no electricity, portable drinking water, etc.
“We are using this opportunity to inform the President and Commander in Chief President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the National Security Adviser Malan Nuhu Ribadu, the Group Chief Executive Officer (GCEO) NNPCL that should Chevron refuse to heed our call, we will have no other option than to do everything within the law to ensure our demands are met even if it will affect Nigeria’s current Oil production.”
NAIG insisted that whatever CNL, including Project Bella, is proposing to convert contract employees to staff, Itsekiri should be considered first.
As of the time of filing the report, officials of CNL were yet to respond to the alleged development.
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