Reps summon NNPC GMD over sack of casual workers

TRACKING___The House of Representatives Committee on Public Petition has summoned Group Managing Director of the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) to explain why some casual workers of the Warri Refining and Petrochemical Company Limited have not been converted to permanent workers.

Some of the casual workers, The Nation learnt, have worked as support staff of the Warri Refinery for close to 15 years while many of them were recently disengaged by the management.

Also to appear before the Committee on Tuesday is the Managing Director of the Warri Refining and Petrochemical Company Limited.

The NNPC boss is expected to answer questions on why the corporation disengaged workers despite government’s directive that no worker should be sacked job during the COVID-19 pandemic.

In the summon dated July 13, the Committee warned against refusal of the invitation, saying it might be forced to use every available instrument to compel them to make appearance before the Committee, if need be.

It reads: “That the committee shall without any hesitation invoke its powers as is enshrined in the 1999 Constitution as amended, to compel appearance of all relevant Authority and person in NNPC who have capacity and authority to take decision on this matter. Failure to attend the hearing, the committee will determined the case in your absence and compel NNPC management to carry out the decision of the House”.

The House Committee on Public Petition is saddled with the responsibility of treating petitions from Nigerians on perceived injustices by private or public organisations and making recommendations to the House for possible actions.