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By Bimbola Oyesola
Workers shut down operations and other activities at the headquarters of Sterling Oil Exploration on Victoria Island, Lagos, on Tuesday following alleged anti-labour activities levelled against the company.
The action, led by the leadership of the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN), saw the leadership and workers of the oil company gathering at the entrance of the company’s office as early as 6 a.m., chanting labour solidarity songs, saying that Sterling Oil management engages in anti-labour practices.
Members of the union were seen holding placards with inscriptions such as “Reinstate Sacked Nigerian workers”, “Stop Collective Bargaining Agreement Victimisation”, “Stop CBA violation”, among others, and chanting the solidarity song.
Addressing journalists and union members at the protest, the President of the Petroleum and Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN), Festus Osifo, criticised the management of Sterling Oil for abusing the expatriate quota system, which has led to discrimination against skilled Nigerian workers in the oil and gas sector.
Osifo highlighted what he termed as discriminatory practices by the company, which, according to him, is monopolising jobs that Nigerians are qualified to perform with Indian nationals.
The union leader alleged that the company had over 10,000 expatriates, who were all natives of India, working in Nigeria.
According to him, all the operators in the company, without exception, are expatriates.
He alleged that members of the union working in Sterling had been subjugated and described their welfare as abysmal.
Osifo said: “Our members in Sterling have been pushed to the background; they should tell us how many Nigerians are working in Sterling today that are managers.
“They should tell us how many Nigerians today are working in Sterling that are general managers.
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“However, when you go to other international oil and gas companies, you have Nigerians even as managing directors, deputy managing directors, executive general managers, general managers, and so on.
“In Sterling Global, we have expatriates as gate men, vulcanizers; we have expatriates making tea; we have expatriates that are Nigerian cooks, cooking for Nigerians to eat in Nigeria,” he said.
Osifo said that the picket was the first in a series of activities that would be happening, and if plans to arrive at an agreement failed, it would continue until there was a resolution.
He, therefore, called on the government to urgently intervene in the matter.
“If this is not corrected, this has a propensity of leading to a national strike, where we will call out our members across the nook and cranny of the oil and gas industry in Nigeria.
“Also, remember, the operations of the entire oil and gas industry in Nigeria are manned by our members, and we will call them out; the entire operations will be grounded.
“So, the government must act, and the time to act is now,” Osifo said.
Other accusations include the sacking of some of the union’s members, and therefore, the union called for their reinstatement.
Responding, the company, through a communiqué signed by the management, said all workers have been directed to start work at home pending the time the issue will be resolved.
The company added that the issue will be addressed very soon.
