Moses Uwagbale
Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Timipre Sylva has taken steps to avert an impending industrial dispute at Agbami Offshore Oilfield operated by Chevron Nigeria Limited (CNL).
Sylva has scheduled a meeting with leadership of Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) on Thursday to forestall industrial disharmony.
PENGASSAN had threatened to down tools and shutdown the deep offshore facility over moves by Chevron to cut its workforce by 25 per cent amongst other issues.
CNL had in a statement on Oct. 2, 2020 announced plans to lay off at least 600 of its workforce, a development that irked the inhouse branch of PENGASSAN to protest.
Esimaje Brikinn, CNL’s General Manager Policy, Government and Public Affairs, had in a response statement, noted that the 25 per cent job cut was to reposition the oil firm for greater efficiency and competitiveness.
Mr Lumumba Okugbawa, General secretary of PENGASSAN who confirmed the industrial action, said that the intervention of the Minister might restore industrial harmony.
“The Minister of State for Petroleum Resources has scheduled a meeting on Thursday 15 April.
”We are not on strike yet, the Minister of Petroleum, Timipri Sylva has scheduled a meeting with us for negotiations.
“It is after our meeting with him that we shall agree on the decision for the industrial action.
“By the end of work on Thursday, the outcome of our meeting will be known,” The PENGASSAN scribe said.
Agbami field which has capacity for upto 250,000 barrels per day (bpd) currently produces some 140,000 bpd according to industry data.
