Barely a fortnight after its commercialisation, the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited, is set to lay off 500 workers from its fold.

Under the terms of the the lay-off, the would-be affected workers would take a payout package and disengage from the services of the firm or risk being sacked.

The affected workers, it was learnt, have been given up to the first week of August to take a pay out package and leave before the proper disengagement, or continue to be employed with NNPC or risk being sacked at any time.

The message is said to have been passed to the affected workers who are nearing their retirement time with the organisation in 2022, 2023 and 2024 through their emails. This decision is not favoured by some of the management staff members who have kicked against it, especially those in the cadre of general managers and group general managers.

The Group Managing Director and Chief Executive of the company, Mele Kyari was alleged to have said at a staff town meeting recently that “you may accept the package or reject it, but you are advised to take it.” The general managers and group general managers that are against the retirement allegedly wanted to complete their tenures and retire when they attain 60 years of age.

A portal is said to have been opened online with points to click, one for acceptance of the severance exercise and the other for the rejection of the letter, whichever way any of the affected officials choose, by the first week of August, the portal would be closed.

Efforts to get the official reaction from the NNPC General Manager, Public Affair, Garba Deen Muhammad, proved abortive as his number was switched off. However, a staff of the NNPC who spoke to The Nation on condition of anonymity said the development is not a sack, and would be rejected by only people that are not smart.

“This is a good package considering the number of years left for the affected people. Aside from the juicy package for those affected, they would also be entitled to 50 per cent of their salaries until the time they are naturally expected to serve out their tenure in the company. Besides, all their liabilities to the company, like loan, would be written off, and they would still be entitled to all they are presently until their time is meant to be served out,” the source explained. (The Nation: Text, excluding headline)

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