No plan to migrate jobs outside Nigeria — Chevron

The management of Chevron Nigeria Limited (CNL) says it has no plans to migrate Nigerian jobs outside the country.

CNL’s General Manager Policy, Government and Public Affairs, Mr Esimaje Brikinn, made the clarification in a statement on Friday.
Brikinn spoke following an allegation by the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria that CNL planned to relocate jobs outside the country.

He said, however, that the company was reviewing its manpower requirements in the light of the changing business environment.

According to him, the new organisational structure will require approximately 25 per cent reduction in the work force across the various levels of its organisation.

“The aim is to have a business that is competitive and have an appropriately sized organisation with improved processes.

“This will increase efficiency and effectiveness, retain value, reduce cost, and generate more revenue for the Federal Government of Nigeria.

“It is important to note that all our employees will retain their employment until the reorganisation process is completed.

”We have prospects for our company in Nigeria; however, we must make the necessary adjustments in light of the prevailing business climate.

“We need everyone’s support to get through these tough times stronger, more efficient and more profitable, in order to sustain the business, ” he said.

The manager also said that CNL was in alignment with both its Joint Venture partners, including NNPC, and the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) on the process.

He said: “We are actively engaging our workforce to ensure they understand why this is being done.

“We will continue to consistently engage all relevant stakeholders, including the leadership of the employee unions as we continue this process of business optimisation.”

Earlier, the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria, Chevron Branch, had accused CNL of sacking 600 Nigerian workers and planning to relocate jobs to America.

Its Branch Chairman, Mr Ote Oyegbanren, and Secretary, Mr Lavin Aghaunor, in a statement said that the workers being sacked were lower cadre employees whose salaries were negligible when compared with that paid to their American expatriates counterparts.

“National PENGASSAN appealed to Chevron Management to suspend the process and allow both parties to reach agreement on an amicable voluntary separation exercise such that workers may opt to exit but this conciliatory offer was rebuffed.

“The plan of Chevron management is part of a grand scheme by multinational oil companies operating in Nigeria to gradually relocate work being done in Nigeria to their home country,” the duo said.