By Tina Amanda
The President Trade Union Congress (TUC) Comrade Festus Osifo, says the Union will fight Nigerian Agip Oil Company Limited (NAOC JV) with all its might if they refuse to follow labour act and ILO conventions.
Comrade Osifo stated this during a solidarity protest at the AGIP office in Port Harcourt, over the transfer of services of AGIP workers to OANDO PLC following the sale of the company.
The TUC president, represented by the national industrial relation officer of PENGASSAN Dr. Eze Ifeanyi, said no international oil company IOC would be allowed to mess with Nigerian workers.
He urged the workers not to give up hope as the Union is right behind them to ensure AGIP does the right thing.
“Comrades injury to one is an injury to all, The International Oil Companies IOC wants to take us for a ride, but this country belongs to us, they are only here as investors. Comrades tried it in Mobil they have not succeeded, They tried it in Shell we stopped them, Now they want to try it in Agip we are aware they also want to try it in total.
“We will stop them they are going nowhere, no single Agip staff will be transferred to any interest without following due process and paying full divestment, our severance must be fully paid and we would not be compelled to work for anybody we do not want to work for our contract remains with NAOC that is the principal we know as our employer, not Oando.
“They have failed, they can not subdue us. Do not give up, they should do the right thing, if they do the right thing we would not be here protesting.”
Also, the Chairman of TUC in Rivers State, Comrade Ikechukwu Onyefuru, called on the Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara, Commissioner of Police and Director of DSS Rivers State to intervene in the matter to avoid labour crisis.
“We want to call on the Governor of Rivers State Sir Siminalayi Fubara, we are appealing to you Sir, to use your good office to call Agip to order because if they fail to adhere to all the labour act and ILO conventions with respect to divestment. What we will do is to deploy our Union might to compel them to do so.
“Sadly, Agip interest and footprint in Rivers State is larger than elsewhere. Already, communities in Rivers State are already suffering as a result of this draconian action of NAOC.
“Some communities in the state do not have power, some are depressed, and humiliated because of the draconian action. If Agip fails to heed to our demand we will deploy our Union might.
“We also call on other stakeholders the Commissioner of Police, and Director of DSS Rivers State, to reach out to Agip and warn them, that they are playing with fire. No Rivers person will be subjugated to keep them in perpetual suffering.
“We are already suffering enough, the removal of fuel subsidy came with its own suffering, the floating and devaluation of naira came with its own suffering, the high-interest rate, the high NPL came with its own suffering, our purchasing power have greatly eroded. Agip has not even considered providing palliative for its staff like other IOCs.
“What NAOC could offer as palliative is to inform staff of purportedly transferring them to Oando.
“Agip can not do this in Italy, Britain, Netherlands anywhere in America or Europe. Why would they want to try it in Nigeria, they tried it in the Philippines and failed, therefore in Nigeria, they have failed.
“We will let them know we are not lesser humans than our counterparts all over the world. We are humans with dignity and must be respected not because we are blacks.”
