Committee for the Defence of Human Rights ( CDHR) has petitioned the Nigerian Union of Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission ( NURC) over alleged breach of agreement by ExxonMobil against its former Janitorial workers in their facilities at Qua Iboe Terminal (QIT) in Ibeno local government area of Akwa Ibom state.
In a letter dated 20th May, 2024 submitted to the commission titled ” Petition Against ExxonMobil Producing Nigeria Unlimited on Alleged Non Payment Of Janitorial Staff And Unified Catering Workforce Entitlement And Breach Of Labour Rights: A Call For Immediate intervention” made available to Journalists in Uyo on Friday, the Human Right group appealed to NURC to intervene before the situation escalates.
The petition signed by Director of Programmes of CDHR Comrade Renner Ekong stated that ExxonMobil have dragged the workers entitlement for 17 years now without implementing all agreements reached with the workers.
” Our Organization have been briefed by the said class of ex workers of the ExxonMobil Producing Nigeria Unlimited, Eket Operational Base at Qua Iboe Terminal, Ibeno about the non payment of their entitlement (Pay-Off) since when they were dropped off from work unjustly by the company in 2022.
” We are rightly informed that all parties to this case have earlier reached agreement of said entitlement , photocopy of the communique issued at the end of each meeting between representatives of Mobil Producing Nigeria Unlimited, Service Contractors Forum and NUPENG on Monday 19th November, 2007 at Federal Ministry of Labour and Productivity, Uyo is here attached and marked as annexure 1.m”
The Human Right group further sited other agreements flouted by the oil firm in attempt to shortchange the workers of their privileges and entitlement.
The Director of Programmes disclosed that the oil firm later paid what they called ‘ex -gratia’ of N50,000, N100,000, N150,000, N330,000 respectively to various categories of the workers to pave way for a peaceful settlement of the workers claims.
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He said the Human Right group wrote a letter in 2023 to Mobil through their Public Relations Department and security agencies for proper investigation of the workers claims and the oil company was invited for fair from both parties but Mobil declined the invitation by the police at the state police command Ikot Akpan Abia.
He said the organization also wrote a letter to Mobil oil when they heard that Seplat Energy have acquired the firm as plans for their divestment reminding of the liabilities but they rebuffed the letters.
It therefore called on Mobil to clear their liabilities by paying outstanding entitlement to their former workers before leaving the shores of Nigeria.
Meanwhile , the former workers have notified relevant authorities on their planned protest against the oil firm between 12th to 13th of August to press home their demands from the company.
In another letter signed by the Director of Programmes of CDHR and copied to the Nigeria Police, Field Human Resources Manager of ExxonMobil, Security Manager and General Manager Public And Government Affairs the workers said the company’s gate will remain shut till they are settled.
The letter reads : ” It is worthy of note that this protest was initially scheduled to take effect on September 27th ,2023 via a letter sent to the Commissioner of Police but the CP intervened and carried out investigation through the state CID and discovered that the said workers are entitled to their pay off owed by ExxonMobil. ” he said.
