The Trade Union Congress on Thursday barricaded the premises of the Nigeria Agip Oil Company Limited in Port Harcourt, protesting its sale and that of Eni Nigeria to Oando Plc.
This came barely 48 hours after the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria threatened to withdraw its members from all offices and oil field locations if the sale is implemented.
The protesters who carried placards with various inscriptions said the sale would affect thousands of indigenous workers.
Speaking, the TUC President, Festus Osifo, who was represented by the National Industrial Relations Officer of PENGASSAN, Dr Eze Ifeanyi said the union would not allow the transfer of any worker to Oando without due process being followed.
He said, “They (NAOC) should look back, look at all our branches that are in support of this thing happening here today and what they can do when the time comes.”
On his part, the TUC Chairman in Rivers State, Ikechukwu Onyefuru, called on Governor Similnalayi Fubara to wade into the matter to avoid labour crisis.
Onyefuru said over 3000 indigenous workers could be thrown into the labour market if the sale of Agip is eventually implemented.
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