Ilaje women shut down Chevron headquarters
Business activities were on Wednesday paralysed for the second day running at the Chevron’s corporate headquarters in Lagos as it workers stayed off duty.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that some women from Ilaje area of Ondo State had on Tuesday besieged the company’s head office protesting alleged neglect. Subsequently, the management of the oil giant directed the workers to stay off duty pending when the issues that led to the women’s protest would be resolved.
The protesting women, who vowed never to vacate the company’s premises, accused management of the company of neglecting the host communities in Ilaje area. NAN gathered that the women also complained that the multi-national company had reneged on its promises to improve the welfare of the people in the host communities. They also demanded for better treatment from the company in the area of employment for the indigenes, good roads and portable water among others.
A staff of the company, who did not wish to be named, confirmed that the workers could not come to work on Wednesday because the management directed them to stay off from duty.
Folorunso Oginni, the Lagos Zonal Chairman, Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria, also confirmed that the workers were directed to stay off from duty. He said that the decision was taken to avoid possible attack of the workers by the protesting women.
Efforts to reach Femi Odumabo, the company’s General Manager, Government and Public Affairs, were unsuccessful as calls and text messages sent to his mobile phone were unanswered.
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