We didn’t promise trainees employment – Chevron responds to threat to cripple operations

Chevron Nigeria Limited (CNL), operator of the joint venture between the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and CNL (NNPC/CNL JV), has responded to threat from its trainee workers to cripple its operations, saying the Company did not at any time promise to employ them after graduation.

On Monday, a group in the Niger Delta, KOMBOT-Egbema & Gbaramatu Graduates Association, issued a threat to Chevron to, within 48 hours, confirm some trainees whom they argued had spent four years in the company without being staffed.

The group warned that failure to staff the trainees, will lead to a mass protest that might disrupt the company’s operations.

The KOMBOT-Egbema & Gbaramatu Graduates Association handed the threat in a statement signed by its President, Yabrade Moses and Secretary, Asoki Victor Warebi and made available to journalists on Monday.

“We undersigned for and on behalf of KOMBOT-Egbema & Gbaramatu Graduates Association wish to emphatically state that Chevron Nigeria Limited should within 48 hours confirm the VTP5/OTP2, VTP6 Operator/Maintenance Trainees of Chevron Nigeria Ltd as permanent staff or face a mass action that might cripple their operations in Egbema and Gbaramatu kingdom which are host to CNL.

“The trainees are, since, overdue for conversion to permanent staff basis after 18 months, rather they are still being retained as trainees on the job as a means of cheap labour, for the past four years, which is totally unacceptable to us.

“The trainees should be regularized as soon as possible to avoid the inevitable danger awaiting Chevron Nigeria Limited due to the company’s management’s nonchalant attitudes towards the reclassification of the trainees as staff, the non-intake of the 2014 awaiting batch and other crucial employment issues,” the group stated.

The statement further noted that “it is on record that series of letters have been written and meetings held with CNL, government representatives and security agents as regards the conversion of VTP5/OTP2 Trainees and other employment issues, but CNL kept mute and has, instead, converted those trainees termed “national” from Agbami field to permanent staff long ago, leaving our indigenes on “community” angle as slave labourers.”

The group, then vowed, to fight the alleged injustice by embarking on a mass action against the company.

“On this note, we are embarking on a mass action against CNL in solidarity with our brothers that are being used as cheap labour any moment from now.

“Except their conversion to permanent staff is confirmed and our employment deficiency addressed within 48 hours as to avert the impending action.

“The issue of contract extension should not be mentioned again, if CNL wants to maintain peace in their host communities of operation,” the group warned.

Speaking with Daily Times, CNL’s General Manager, Policy, Govt & Public Affairs, Mr Esimaje Brikinn, confirmed that Chevron Nigeria Limited (CNL), is aware of the threats by the graduates representating Ijaw, Itsekiri and Ilaje ethnic groups from neighboring communities.

He said the threat from members in the VTP5/OTP2 Operator/Maintenance Trainees had been reported to the appropriate authorities, saying the company is concerned about the safety of its workforce and the communities where they have operations.

” We therefore take every threat to our operations seriously”, he said.

He said sponsoring eligible trainees for Operations & Maintenance Vocational Training Program (VTP) was in accordance with its “goal to help build the skills and capacities of the trainees to become more competitive in the Nigerian economy”.

“At no time did CNL represent or guarantee that it would hire the trainees at the time of graduation from the program”, he added.

According to him, the trainees were contracted by the training provider, Prime Atlantic Cegelec Nigeria Limited (PACE), and each trainee had a contract for an On-the-Job-Learning (OJL) trainee position at a CNL Production Facility.

“We will continue to hold discussions with the Delta and Ondo State Governments, Itsekiri, Ijaw and Ilaje community leaders and the appropriate Regional Development Committee (RDC) under the Global Memorandum of Understanding (GMoU) to reiterate our constraints regarding employment due to the current state otbusiness”, he said.
He then reiterated the company’s commitment, to within available resources and opportunities, continue working with its community stakeholders and other partners to maintain peace and contribute to sustainable community and socio-economic development.