Rebirth: Anxiety, as victims kick over alleged sack of 500 NNPC staff
…As company offers juicy packages to appease affected staff
…Spokesman blocks WhatsApp line of Nigerian NewsDirect CEO
By Uthman Salami
After the transformation of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) to a commercialised firm, multiple reports over the termination of the appointments of 500 employees, which has surged the efforts of fear, anxiety and tension by stakeholders in the industry, Nigerian NewsDirect report.
In what many have described as a compensatory move, juicy severance packages were offered to the affected staff, especially some of the General Managers and Group General Managers who have since kicked against the company’s move.
However, some of the management members of the company affected have kicked against it.
The affected 500 staff of the company were reached through their email addresses telling them that the company no longer needs their services and that a mouth-watering severance package has been put in place for them.
The affected officials have up till the first week of August to decide, otherwise the company may take actions deemed necessary to relieve them of their jobs and the severance package may elude those that refuse to go.
Those affected are billed to retire by the years 2022, 2023, and 2024.
The Group Managing Director and Chief Executive of NNPC Limited, Mele Kyari was accused of having said during a meeting with the staff recently that “you may accept the package or reject it, but you are advised to take it.”
Investigation further showed that the affected General Managers and Group General Managers became agitated, insisting that they want to complete their official tenures by retiring at 60 years of age.
Meanwhile, sources within the company who preferred to remain anonymous said though no one may be forced out of the system, if they fail to take advantage of the severance package, they may have themselves to blame afterward.
To effect this development, a portal was allegedly opened online with points to click, one for acceptance of the severance exercise and the other for the rejection of the letter, whichever way any of the affected officials choose, by the first week of August, the portal would be closed.
Aside the juicy package for those affected, they would also be entitled to 50 per cent of their salaries until the time they are naturally expected to serve out their tenure in the company.
Some of the staff who spoke with the media said the action of the company is not punitive and wished to be part of the exercise. The company has also offered to write off loans any of the affected staff.
Recall that the company transitioned to a commercial venture, NNPC Limited, on Tuesday, 19 July 2022. It is hoped that this transition would bring with it a whole new set of operational efficiency and competency to NNPC Limited.
Efforts to get reaction from the GGM Public Affairs Mr Garbadeen Muhammed proved abortive. There was no response to text messages while the WhatsApp line of the Publisher/Editor-in-Chief Dr Samuel Ibiyemi was blocked by the GGM Public Affairs.
