Economy

Economic Crunch: ExxonMobil Lays Off 285 Regular, Contract Workers

Published

8 years ago

August 7, 2016

Mobil Producing Nigeria Unlimited has laid off 182 regular and 103 contract staff members in Akwa Ibom State between June and August 1.

A dependable source who preferred anonymity told the News Agency of Nigeria on Friday in Ibeno that those affected were at its administrative block at Qua Iboe Terminal, Ibeno.

The source said: “The company had long paid their contact staff before laying them off.

“Yesterday, when I went to ExxonMobil, the person I went to see at the maintenance office was also sacked.

“He was among the three contact staff disengaged yesterday at Qua Iboe Terminal and more staff members will be retrenched by September.”

A sacked ExxonMobil staff member, Okon Ibanga, said the sack had caused hardship for him in view of the economic crisis in the country.

Ibanga said the company was preparing the entitlements of the sacked workers to ameliorate their sufferings.

Ibanga alleged that the retrenchment was politicised as majority of those affected were from Akwa Ibom and Cross River States.

Responding, the Media and Communication Manager at ExxonMobil, Ogechukwu Udeagha, confirmed the development.

Udeagha said the company had adjusted its business in response to the challenge in the export system.

“Our response to your inquiry is that we have adjusted our business in response to the challenge in the export system, which necessitated curtail of production,” Udeagha said.

He noted that ExxonMobil’s operations would be reviewed on an ongoing basis.