Over 200 staff of Addax Petroleum Development Nigeria, a subsidiary of China’s Sinopec, announced on Friday that they have resumed their strike.
The workers, under the banner of the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN), blamed the Federal Government and the company’s management for failing to address poor labour practices following the takeover of the assets by the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation NNPC. President Muhammadu Buhari restored leases on OMLs 123, 124, 126, and 137 to the NNPC.
The workers claimed there are threats to their lives due to the government’s inability to maintain standard in the operation of the company.
Pending issues yet to be addressed: The secretary of PENGASSAN’s Addax Branch, Mr. Ken Olubor, in a statement said that the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Ltd. (NNPC) and Addax management refused to address issues that caused an earlier strike in August this year. He said:
- “SINOPEC has withheld funding for her Nigeria operation (Addax Petroleum Development Nigeria) following its ongoing exit, which has created safety and operational challenges for employees and the much-anticipated operational funding from the NNPC/NAPIMS is yet to be received.
- “The safety and security of our members have been compromised. Addax Izombe facility OML-124 recently suffered an attempted bomb blast incident around the staff accommodation area.
- “Employees working in the field have recently been exposed to increased security and safety threats as our onshore location continues to come under siege by unknown armed men.
- “This situation is evident in the recurring high medical bills recorded by the Company’s Human Resource Department.”
They also noted that NNPC has refused to execute the exit agreement, noting that the employees continue to suffer as the agreements have not been respected. According to him, “the prevailing situation is taking a heavy toll on the health and mental well-being of union members”.
Flashback: Recall, Nairametrics reported last year that the Federal Government said it revoked 4 Oil Mining Licenses (OML) belonging to Addax Petroleum Nigeria Limited due to the non-development of the assets by the oil firm, hence their inability to comply with the work programme targets.
- FG said that over 50% of the assets of oil licenses OML 123, 124, 126, and 137, were discovered to be underdeveloped, which was resulting in a loss of revenue to the federal government.
- President Muhammadu Buhari also approved the restoration of the leases on OMLs 123, 124, 126, and 137 to the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), the President also directed NNPC to utilize contractual provisions to resolve issues in line with the extant provisions of the Production Sharing Contract arrangement between NNPC and Addax.’’