By MIKE ODOEGWU, Port Harcourt

A member of the House of Representatives from Rivers State, Dr. Farah Dagogo, has flayed ExxonMobil for sacking 495 employees in the Niger Delta region.

Dagogo queried the reasons behind the “hasty mass retrenchment” of workers by the oil firm despite the passage of the Nigerian Emergency Economic Stimulus Bill into law by the House of Representatives to cushion the effect of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Dagogo, who represents Degema/Bonny Federal Constituency, explained that besides the bill passed into law, the Federal Government rolled out other measures aimed at rejigging the economy to stop job losses.

The lawmaker in a statement signed by his Special Adviser, Media and Publicity, Ibrahim Lawal, described the timing of the retrenchment as curious saying it occurred when the global oil prices maintained steady increase.

He lamented that a larger percentage of the sacked workers came from Bonny in Rivers State and Akwa Ibom state.

He said: “I am yet to comprehend how ExxonMobil intend to justify this unholy and hasty retrenchment of over 495 of its staff in the Niger Delta states of Rivers and Akwa Ibom. The people of my constituency in Bonny constitute a large fraction of those regrettably thrown into the job market.

“It is curious that ExxonMobil will decide to sack these workers when the Government is trying all it could to mitigate the effects of Covid-19 pandemic on businesses in the country.

“The House of Representatives recently passed the Nigerian Emergency Economic Stimulus bill into law with provisions for temporary relief to companies and individuals to alleviate the adverse financial consequences of a slowdown in economic and business activities caused by COVID-19.

“It will also protect the employment status of Nigerians who might otherwise become unemployed as a consequence of management decision to retrench personnel in response to the prevailing economic realities.

“Just today from the global oil sector where ExxonMobil operates, we understood that the oil rally has extended to the fourth day, amid signs that producers are implementing output cuts as promised, with demand picking up due to global easing of lockdowns and hope for the positive test result of a coronavirus vaccine.

“Further good news is that our country’s headline crude, Bonny light, surged by 13.77% as it hit $33.95 per barrel, getting to a two month high. The Brent crude has also hit a two month high, selling for $35.02 per barrel as at 10.00 am Nigerian time. The American WTI is selling for $32.60 per barrel.

“With all these, I do not know how ExxonMobil in good conscience will justify the sack of these workers who are in its lower cadre of employment. Part of my constituents in Bonny are affected, as well as others in Rivers and Akwa Ibom States. It is paramount that ExxonMobil reconsider this retrenchment”. (The Nation)

Update news