Protest rocks nest oil over alleged sack of 95 workers

Strong protest over the alleged sack of 95 nest oil workers in Ndokwa East Local Government Area of Delta State, yesterday unsettled its management. Expectedly, the protesters mainly youths of Ndokwa-Neku Union (NNU) took to various streets in the areas over the alleged sack of the ninety-five workers on the pipeline rights of way.

Nest Oil Coy is a subsidiary of Nigeria National Petroleum Company (NNPC) that has been operating close to four years in the area armed with different placards which read: “The sack of 95 workers is too much, recall them or face our wrath, Nest Oil Coy make money from our town.”

But the protesting youths, their leader; Mr. Lucky Onyia who spoke to journalists in the area outlines their demands to include; construction of Ndokwa East roads, and fair distribution of all contracts as well as update of all benefits due to the employees.

He noted that Nest Oil Company started operation in the area since 2014, alleging that the MOU signed between the company and the communities in Ndokwa East, was manipulated in favour of the company.

He said that three workers allegedly died, and many others injured without compensation from the company, recalling that out of the total worker force for the local communities, 70per cent was imported out of Ndokwa areas; a situation he added was unacceptable to them.

Mr. Onyia explained that the NNU Youth’s Wing had written several letters to the company with a view to correcting the odds, to no avail, disclosing that Ndokwa has abundant oil and gas deposits.
He further alleged that the maltreatment meted out on the sacked workers was an infringement on their fundamental human rights, adding that Nest Oil Coy had taken then for granted with promises that were never fulfilled.

But in a swift reaction, officials of the Nest Oil Coy who did not want their names in the print, dispelled all allegations the coy as untrue, saying that the protesters were acting on inhumanity to man. They said the workers were sacked for un-productivity among others.