Emma Amaize
4 December 2008
NO fewer than 15 workers, including the chairman of the Warri Zonal Council of the National Union of Petroleum and Gas Workers (NUPENG) were manhandled and injured, yesterday, in an attempt by security operatives in Warri to stop members of the union from disrupting the operations of the Chevron Nigeria Limited (CNL), as threatened, Tuesday.
Some of the injured workers were taken to the hospital for medical attention. NUPENG is protesting alleged attempt by the company to sack 122 contract staff for indicating their interest to join the union.
Vanguard gathered that as early as 7.00 am, yesterday, tankers numbering over 100 barricaded the ever busy NPA Expressway housing the oil firm thereby temporarily halting vehicular movement on the ever busy road.
A combined team of anti-crime mobile, regular policemen and soldiers who were drafted to beef up security at the company threw teargas and used gun butts to beat members of the union in an orchestrated effort to break up their rank.
Comrade Williams Akporeha, Chairman, NUPENG, Warri Zonal council who was also beaten up by security operatives said yesterday that, "We are here to tell Deltans and Nigerians of police and soldiers brutality on innocent Nigerians".
"NUPENG, as it is known today in this country is not a violent body. NUPENG is a peaceful body and we carry out our protest peacefully. Today, we are at Chevron's gate right now to protest CNL management grand design to flush out NUPENG members in the company's operations.
As we stand here talking to you, about 122 workers are on the firing line because they decided to join NUPENG and management has said that they do not have the right to join NUPENG," he stated.
According to the NUPENG boss, as a free country, the 122 contract staff of Polmaz being threatened with sack by CNL had the right to join any Union of their choice.
"We came here peacefully today with over 100 trucks to barricade CNL's entrance and the major NPA Expressway to register our protest, but Chevron gave the security operatives shoot-on-sight order. A soldier told me that they were just having pity on us that the order that they received was to shoot us on sight," he claimed.
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