 in Akwa Ibom State have held a peaceful protest demanding payment of severance benefits that have been pending for over a decade.){kind=link}
Displaced workers of Mobil Producing Nigeria Unlimited (MPN-U) in Akwa Ibom State have held a peaceful protest demanding payment of severance benefits that have been pending for over a decade.
The protest was led by the “Ex-Mobil Janitorial Service Staff” and Unified Catering Workforce, with about 100 workers gathering at the Mobil Housing Estate gate in Eket Local Government Area.
Despite the early morning rain, the workers expressed their frustration, calling on the company to settle their long-overdue entitlements.
The protesters carried signs bearing messages such as “Uphold Labour Rights and Nigerian Law,” “Mobil, Honour the Collective Bargaining Agreement,” and “Settle Our Dues Before Divesting to Seplat Energy,” while singing worship songs to emphasize their demands.
Moses Mbong, a spokesperson for the group, said that between 2007 and 2017, MPN-U had terminated the contracts of 2,390 workers in janitorial and catering services without providing severance pay.
“We’ve protested numerous times over this issue,” Mbong said. “This matter was even raised in the House of Representatives, but it has not been resolved. Mobil claims we were hired by third-party contractors, but that’s not accurate. We worked directly for Mobil and are entitled to the benefits owed to us.”
Mbong also revealed that 125 workers had died while waiting for their severance payments, with many others now facing serious health challenges due to the delay.
“We cannot stand by and allow this kind of mistreatment to continue. If this injustice persists, we cannot guarantee the safety of Mobil’s facilities or employees,” Mbong warned. “We have been patient long enough.”
Attempts to reach Mobil’s management for a response were unsuccessful at the time of reporting.