A group in Nigeria’s Niger Delta region has threatened to shut down Chevron multinational oil company.

The group under the aegis of Kombot-Egbema & Gbaramatu Graduates Association says the company has been engaging in ‘cheap labour’ by leaving some of its staff as trainee.

The group has given Chevron 48 hours to upgrade the status of the staff to permanent staff of face a shutdown of operations in the region.

The statement read, “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 Limited 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 statement read.

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

“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.

“On this note, we are embarking on a mass action against CNL in solidarity with our brothers that are been 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.” (TV360 Nigeria)

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