By Chisaa Okoye
Describing their continued casualisation as “gross marginalisation,” the youths recalled that the ate Olu of Warri, His Majesty Ogiame Ikenwoli, had in 2017 prevailed on CNL’s management to do the needful, and the US oil major promised to do so the following year, but reneged in its promises.
NAIG noted that the affected Itsekiri sons and daughters “are the least ranked and underpaid among CNL labour contract personnel.
“They have been found competent at their locations and none has violated any of the company’s laid down rules, regulations or safety procedures ” NAIG said.
According to the group, Chevron had cited falling crude oil prices for not reclassifying the Itsekiri people, pointing out that with oil rising above $70/bbl , the company still remained adamant but instead connive with some of their selfish leaders “to use and dump Itsekiri people.”
The statement added: “It should be noted that their reclassification should be backdated to January 2016 and January 2017 for VTPS/OTP2 and VTP6.
“Resume Operation and Maintenance (O&M) training with employment in view immediately, as enshrined in our Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with you.
“Community development in oil producing areas should resume immediately. All Itsekiri host communities to CNL should be given electricity and potable water.
“We are, therefore, giving Chevron Nigeria Ltd (CNL) 28 days to begin or put to action the reclassification of our Itsekiri graduates of VTP5/OTP2 and VTP6, or else we will have no choice but to shut down CNL operations in our land.”