The National Youth Response Group has frowned at what it calls a blatant
disregard for the lives of Nigerians. This was shared in a statement
released by its South-South Coordinator, Comrade Preye Thomson. The
group alleged that the Nigerian Oil AGIP Company Limited, a
multinational oil and gas producing company, evaded the mandatory
isolation for her personnel on essential duty.
Full statement reads: – “Nigeria Oil AGIP Company, a multinational oil
and gas producing company, and subsidiary of ENI group; are currently
embarking on their regular crew change. This is normal procedure, but
their current activities are being done without following the laid down
guidelines of controlled isolation of her workers. The DPR which laid
out clear procedural guidelines, as a way of protecting Oil company
workers from the COVID-19 pandemic; mandated oil companies to Isolate
their workers that are embarking on crew change after completing the
minimum 28days work rotation.
“AGIP which is one of the 5 major IOCs operating in Nigeria not only
resorted to evade the mandatory isolation for her personnel on essential
duty; but also put their staff through the agony of boat transportation
with substandard boats, despite the fact that the Federal Government has
given a waiver permitting Oil Companies to fly Helicopters amid the
COVID-19 pandemic.
“We have received complaints that the Executive of PENGASSAN in Agip,
the Management of the Company led by the General Manager Human Resources
and Organization, and the Operations Division Manager, neglected all
safety procedures and precautions as directed by NCDC. The company
failed to carry out the mandatory 14 days quarantine for its staff
before resuming offshore as other IOC’s like Chevron, ExxonMobil, SPDC
and Total E&P did. Thus, workers resuming to duty from various states of
the federation go straight to offshore facilities to resume without
recourse to laid down guidelines in combating the COVID-19 pandemic.
“You may recall that PENGASSAN only just recently threatened to go on
strike because of 22 Staff of ExxonMobil returning into Port Harcourt
were detained by the Rivers State Government. This even led to the
redeployment of the state police commissioner. Those workers were
supposed to go on a 14day isolation period, before being reunited with
their families or returning offshore. But even at that, Gov.Wike frowned
at the way and manner they arrived the state thus leading to their
detention.
“AGIP is an Italian firm with its headquarters in Milan, and its
country, Italy has been one of the worse hit by the COVID- 19 pandemic
where over twenty thousand persons have died with many more still
testing positive.
“We call on the PENGASSAN National body, the NLC, the TUC, the Rivers
State Government and the Federal Government to immediately sanction the
Management of AGIP for this inappropriate action and call the company to
order immediately. Especially as recent statistics show a continuous
increase in the number of cases testing positive.
“The life of every Nigerian is more important than the money AGIP so
desperately wants to make without recourse to the health and safety of
her staff, their families and the entire country at large.”
Signed
Preye Thomson
South-South Coordinator, National Youth Response Group