Emma Arubi
08 November 2012, Sweetcrude, WARRI – SURVIVING victims of the January 16, 2012 gas explosion involving Chevron-contracted KS Endeavour Rig at the Funiwa North Apoi Field in Bayelsa State, have dragged the oil giant before Nigeria’s Labour Minister.
They are alleging unfair labour practices, neglect and total abandonment 10 months after the gory incident.
Union officials led by Mr. Mike Oru and David Onofomi said, Wednesday, in Warri, Delta State that the management of Chevron had earlier claimed that the Warri Labour office was not secure, conducive and safe enough to engage in any meaningful dialogue considering the nature of the issues involved and the hostile attitude of the affected workers who lost two of their colleagues to the explosion.
Oru revealed that both the management of Chevron and Fode are denying responsibility for the blow-out that reduced the rig to rubbles in an inferno that lasted 42-days, saying that all the survivors have been left to their fate with no job, salary, pay-off or compensation of any kind and their families suffering untold hardship.
Zonal Chairmen of the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria, PENGASSAN and National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers, NUPENG, Comrades Elvis Irefo and Edmond Ofudje, said their up coming meeting with Labour Minister in Abuja would determine their next line of action.
