Indigenous pipeline survelliance contractors attached to the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), in charge of protecting NPSC system 2C pipelines carrying crude from refinery in Warri Delta through Edo, Kogi to Kaduna Refinery, have protested the non-payment of their fifteen months salary arrears.
The angry protesters who came in their hundreds holding placards with various inscriptions, blocked the ongoing repair work in one of the NNPC pipelines in Warri chanting different songs and vowed that they will not leave the site until their salary arrears are paid.
The private security guards under the auspices of ‘Pipeline Right of Way Surveillance Providers Forum’ had staged similar protests on January 3, 2019, blocking the entrance to the NNPC pump station at Awawa, Abaji Area Council, FCT and also Izom pump station, refusing entry to staff, petrol tankers and visitors.
Some of the inscriptions in their placards read; “NNPC/MRS/Bablink Pay Us Our Money,” “Delta/Edo/Kogi Community Pipeline Guards Are Peaceful People, NNPC/MRS/Bablink Pay Us Our 14 Months Salary,” “All We Are Saying Pay Us Our Money !!!,” etc.
Mr Joseph Etimi who spoke on behalf of the protesters said for the past fifteen months, MRS has refused to pay their salaries even after several letters and protest, adding that they will no longer fold their arms while the company continues to ignore their plight.
“The supervisors are been harassed day and night by the workers because they are feeling that that have used their money for their personal gain. One of the reasons why we are embarking on this protest is to tell the whole world that NNPC has not paid us,” Etimi said.
Also Aweh Prince, Supervisor, Adagbrasa/Aghalokpe unit, Delta, on his part lamented that they have been suffering severe hardship for the past fifteen months because of non payment of their salaries, adding that Bablink, their employer, has been treating them like slaves whenever they want to pay them their salaries.
“We want to appeal to the Federal government to pay MRS to enable Bablink pay us. They should not be treating us like animals. We are still human beings like them. Each time that they want to pay us, they always stress us up. We don’t want this kind of stress anymore. We don’t want to hear any more excuses. All we want is our money,” Aweh said.
The Uvwie Surveillance unit Supervisor, Mr Edward Akiviawe on his part said, he has been chased out of his house by the angry workers several times, adding that he could no longer drive his car for fear of being harassed by the boys who work under him.
“We are here to tell the Federal Government to pay us our money because three months ago they took us to Abuja where we had a meeting with NNPC directors who told MRS to go and compile the amount of money that they are owing us. They told us that they were going to pay us our money in one week time. They also told us that they want to fix the pipelines but that before they do that, they were going to pay us first. Surprisingly in May 2019 we received a disengagement letter from our direct employer saying that everybody on the project have been disengaged including BABLINK as NPSC have suspended the project completely till further notice with our 15 months outstanding salaries yet to be paid”, he said.
According to him also; ” The most shocking thing is that maintenance work is presently ongoing on the right of way being carried out by an unknown contractor to us, so what is the guarantee that our direct employer has not been changed and how do we get our outstanding salaries if our direct contractor has been replaced on the project. NNPC have greatly undermined our communities and the youths have vowed to do all they can to ensure their outstanding money is paid immediately and we the supervisors will not be responsible for the actions of the guards/youths as our lives are also on the line.Here we are three months after the meeting in Abuja and we are yet to be paid. We all know how risky this job is yet they don’t want to pay us our money. In the cause of doing this job, we have lost some of our colleagues”.
Meanwhile, NNPC- NPSC Management from Warri Area Office led by the Area Manager, the Supretendent, Right of Way and a Manager from Abuja who were at the scene of the protest, pleaded with the community guards to shield their sword,assuring them of immediately engaging MRS Oil and Gas so as to effect quick payment by the end of July or mid August.
