By Onome Oghenetega
Niger Delta youths under the aegis of Youths of Chevron Host Communities of Nigeria (YCHCN) have condemned the call by Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) demanding the resignation of the Chairman and the Managing Director (CMD) of Chevron Nigeria Limited, Mr Jeffrey Ewing.
The youths, while appealing to Nigerians to ignore the call, said the call for the removal of Ewing does not have the backing of host communities where the multinational company operates.
They described the call as not only selfish but self-serving and not in the interest of Nigerians.
PENGASSAN’s CNL branch had been occupying the company’s facilities since this week where the demanded for the removal of Ewing who is the Chairman and Managing Director (CMD) for an alleged lack of integrity.
The protesting PENGASSAN members also expressed their lack of confidence with the leadership of the CMD.
But rising from an emergency meeting on Wednesday in Effurun, Delta State, the youth group maintained that some of the demands of the protesters were unrealistic and plot to blackmail the management of CNL.
Addressing newsmen at the end of the meeting attended by Mr Chris Wuruyai, the President of Gbaramatu Youth Association, Comrade William Emuakpor told journalists that even though they are not in support of the sacking of about 30 workers by CNL Management, posited that some of the demands of PENGASSAN are unrealistic.
While calling on the general public to ignore the call for the removal of Ewing, he threaten that any attempt by PENGASSAN Chevron Branch to go ahead with its plan protest they will be left with no other option but to mobilize youths from Chevron offshore and onshore host communities to shut down its operations.
Secretary of the forum, Hon. Wuruyai Osuru observed that Jeffrey Ewing has used his position as the CMD to consistently create a balance in the policy making process of CNL as it regards host communities and their Nigerian workers.
“The call for the removal of Jeffrey Ewing will further monopolise the already polarised Chevron system against its host communities and the Niger Delta indigenes”, Osuru stated.
According to him, indigenes of the host communities of Chevron who have risen to management staff level have been glass-ceilinged by this save Non-Niger Delta top management staff to undermine their colleagues who are indigenes of their host communities.
He further alleged that most Niger Delta indigenes that went for the Ogere training and were successful were arbitrarily denied opportunity to work in the multinational oil giant.
