Absorb Hyson Staff Or Pay Them Off, GIT Tells NNPC

The Global Information Team has called on the new National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC) under Bayo Ojulari, to immediately absorb or compensate twelve former staff of Hyson Nigeria Limited, following the company’s dissolution in December 2023.

In a statement released by GIT’s head of Investigation, Anabel Crown, the group accused the previous NNPCL management led by former group chief executive officer, Mele Kyari, of reneging on the promise to transfer the affected workers to NNPC Retail Limited as part of a transition plan following the board’s decision to consolidate all trading joint ventures.

“The twelve staff of Hyson were assured that there would be no job losses,” Crown said. “They went through rigorous interviews conducted by NNPC Retail.

The results were submitted for approval, but up till now, nothing has been done. These are people with families. They have been left in limbo, suffering deprivation and emotional trauma.”According to GIT, keeping the workers in a state of uncertainty violates international labour laws and basic principles of fairness. The group is now calling on the new NNPC helmsman to urgently revisit the matter.“If they are no longer needed, the humane thing to do is to compensate them with a befitting package, just like the Central Bank of Nigeria did for relieved staff,” the statement read.

GIT also appealed to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who doubles as the Minister of Petroleum, to wade into the matter in the interest of justice and national dignity.

“These are fathers, mothers, breadwinners. They deserve empathy, not abandonment. It’s time for the new NNPC management to choose between restoring trust or deepening the hurt,” Crown added.