The Delta State Peace Movement,DSPM on Friday, issued the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC as well as the Warri Refining and Petrochemical Company,WRPC two weeks ultimatunum to recall the over four hundred sacked support/ causal staff or be ready for a mass protest in all its subsidiaries that will be staged by seven thousand youths.
The support/casual staff were dropped during the first two weeks of the lockdown associated with the dreaded Corona-Virus pandemic to create room for permanent staff who have resumed work May 4.
All the sacked staff are from the host communities to the Federal Government’s establishment.
The group handed down the ultimatum in a statement signed by Chief Moses Akpojovwe and Comrade Oritsegbemi Awaori, Chairman and Secretary respectively.
The group said,”DSPM has asked NNPC management and it subsidiary to be ready for what will happen next since they don’t have respect and regards for the traditional throne.
“We are letting the world know that two weeks from today 7000 youths match will be carried out within all NNPC subsidiaries in Delta State if they fail to recall this sacked workers and regularize their working condition.
“How can a Federal Government company sack its workers because of the newly recruited 1000 employed, because many among them are their children and relations.
“DSPM’s notice that such warnings was given to WRPC management last year but they ignore it and the movement worked with other body to ensure that there was a total shutdown of operation twice last year which has made the refinery not to be operation since then.
“We are assuring NNPC management that it will be a mass protest should NNPC/WRPC management refuse to act within the said two weeks.”
While noting that the nation is currently battling with the dreaded COVID-19 pandemic, the group said,”As long NNPC and its subsidiary never put that into consideration before taking wicked decision, the body also will not consider that at the expiration of this notice.
“We are fully ready, as we speak more of the support staff have lost their lives due to the sad effect of the sack, we are putting Delta State Government and the federal government on notice with this action of NNPC management.”
The group expressed sadness over the ill treatment meted to the indigenes of the host communities saying,”It is painful.”
The group which frowned at what it termed injustice and evil practices by the NNPC and its subsidiary said,It’s sad that because the host community are asking that their kinsmen working in slave condition over the years be regularize to permanent staff of the cooperation, NNPC/WRPC management sees it as an offense as such sack all the host community workers and others who speak out regarding the demand.
“Worst of it all, is that NNPC/WRPC management do not have regard for the two traditional royal fathers both of the Olu of warri and the Ovie of Uvwie kingdom who has on various occasions call on the management not to sack his people because they are demanding for regularization of their job status.”
The group stated that it is because the NNPC and WRPC management do not have regards for the traditional stool that’s why they proceeded with the sack of the staff who are from the host communities.
By Mattex Omonext
