By Dennis Udoma, Senior Correspondent, Uyo
A group of ex – service contract workers with Mobil Producing Nigeria Unlimited has appealed to President Muhammadu Buhari to investigate the delay in payment of N11, 400, 000 Billion owed to 1, 444 sacked workers of the company since 2012.
Secretary-General of the group, Mr Ubong Eshiet made the call in an interaction with newsmen in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State capital on Tuesday.
He said, they decided to bring the matter to the attention of Mr President for intervention, since MPN was showing lackadaisical attitude towards the payment of their severance package/welfare after the sack adding that, such delay was at variance with the federal government’s road-map for sustainable peace in the Niger – Delta region.
Mr Eshiet also disclosed that, for 8 years since the company denied them what he described as, ‘‘End – of – Service – Benefits’’ life was unbearable as many were forced to live in dejection.
The appeal is coming, a week after the Niger – Delta ex-militant leader, Asari – Dokubo had warned MPN to stop the continuous deprivation of the rights and privileges of former 1, 444 indigent service contract workers at Ibeno in Akwa Ibom.
Asari – Dokubo’s warning, which was contained in a letter to the In – Country Lead Manager/Managing Director of MPN dated September 24, 2019 however condemned, the unwarranted refusal of the company to pay the N11, 400, 000B redundancy benefit as unacceptable.
Mr Eshiet, who reeled their sufferings in the hands of Mobil maintained that, the matter had lingered for so long thereby making life to be hopeless.
He said, the House of Representatives committee on Public Petition during President Good-Luck Jonathan’s administration, was aware of this before it was allegedly swept under the carpet on the orders of the company.
The Secretary – General further, lamented the breaching of Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) Mobil signed with the workers on July 10, 2010 and called on President Buhari to order a thorough investigation into the delay in the payment of N11, 400, 000B severance benefits to 1, 444 sacked service contract workers since 2012 by the company.
