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| Still on Shell Re-Organization |
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| Thursday, 25 October 2007 | ||||||
     That means, he will be in this position until he retires sometime next year. Also rumoured is that, the oil giant are shopping for a new Shell (SPDC) MD to replace Basil Omiyi. And that the management of Shell Companies In Nigeria is merging together, to bring their operations in different units under merged company structures. Their intention we believe, is to drastically narrow down the number of staffs in their operations. What this means is that, by December 2007, many Shell staff, both contract staff, and the rest, will be relieved of their services. The reason behind the whole restructuring is: 1. Budget and financial constraints (cut-down on joint venture finance) and 2. The crises experienced in the Western productions These are basic and genuine facts on ground. Let us also remember that, before now, Ann Pickard as the Chief Executive officer of Shell Operations in Africa, with her leadership qualities, initiated a gradual process to change/convert (DHTC) contract Shell staffs to permanent staffs (probably because they have worked for many years in shell). However, the issue of conversion to permanent staff was placed on hold with a letter sent to the DHTC staff on June 8, 2007. That statisque has not changed since then. Going with the situation on ground now, it therefore means that many people, both contract staff awaiting to see if their status will change, will be laid-off. It is not in our stand to dictate to Shell on how to run its operations, However we can advise them on matters concerning the Niger-Delta people. The reasons for the re-organization are understandable, but our fear and concern is, how are we sure this is not an opportunity to lay-off Niger-Deltan staffs? We ask that this re-organization should be transparent and honest. It should not be used as a vendetta to deal with the Niger Delta people. In the new arrangement, Shell should take into consideration, the Niger-Delta question. In other words, the new organization should have Niger-Deltans in key positions as Directors and other top management positions. This is to ensure that Niger-Deltans have a sense of belonging. There was an instance of five (5) contract staff who were told that their services were no longer required through phone calls from Emmanuel Etomi, the Sustainable Community Development (SCD) Delivery Manager of SPDC. The five contract staffs: Mercy Onemokpe, Makinde Oluyemi, Omare Esiegbuya, Leonard Ezem and Emmanuel Ihwighu, who had been with Shell for years were shocked to have received such phone calls to terminate their services. Though they have been called back, should a well organized corporate multinational oil company like Shell engage in such methods of terminating workers? This is what we are clamouring against. Since such workers had been penciled down, how are we sure that they will not be laid-off because of what had happened. It will be unfair, for some DHTC and permanent staffs to get laid-off because of somebody having a biased mind towards some set of workers and thereby, using this opportunity to maneuver events in their favour and relieve others of their services. If this process of restructuring is not checked properly, diligent staffs might become victims of being relieved of their services. We quite understand that Shell is passing through difficult times presently, but this process of re-organisation when in full gear, should be done thoroughly for the survival of the company. They should not use or allow the Nigerian factor to lay-off people, especially the long committed staffs. We commend Ann Pickard (popularly refered to as ?mama Africa?) for taking into consideration the interest of the Niger-Delta people whenever issues are raised concerning the region. We urge that, the same attention should be given during this re-organisation to help reduce the crises in the region Zik Gbemre National Coordinator NIGER-DELTA PEACE COALITION  Quote this article on your site | Print | E-mail
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