Civil Society Organization has appealled to the Presidency and the leadership of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) to prevail on the Management of NIGER DELTA POWER HOLDING COMPANY (NDPHC), a power generation company under SEWA AND HERMES to confirm the appointment of some of the staff appointed as Contract Staff over 12 years, most of the affected staff were recruited in 2013 by the management of NDPHC and handed over to SEWA AND HERMES as their paymaster, they are the Engineers running the Gas Turbines on site.

They actively participated in the Commissioning stage, they have contributed and still contributing to smooth running of the Gas plant for about 12 years, their status as third party contract staff have remain same for over a decade without been regularized, which contravene labour law.

The former Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osibanjo, who then, doubled as the Chairman, Board of Directors of NDPHC, ordered the former management to regularized all contract staff then, when the issue was brought back to his notice then, that the management jettison the directives, immediately Prof. Yemi Osibanjo was furious but nothing was done till he exited, the office in 2023.

According to safety standard practice, it is an unsafe act, to work under sensitive equipment of this most performing Gas Power plant, when once state of mind is disturbed. Itemized below are summary of the challenges the affected workers went through in the last 12years working actively and diligently for NDPHC.

1. Contract Status (Undefined)
2. Stagnation (No promotion)
3. Irregularities in salary payment.
4. Unremitted monthly pension
5. Segregation
6. Exclusion in other benefits
7. Inhuman condition of service
8. NO RETAINER HOSPITAL FOR THIRD PARTY STAFF
9. NO TAX EVIDENCE

“We are appealing to Presidency and the NLC to use their good office to prevail on NDPHC to amend the itemized challenges above, so they can benefit like their other colleagues in the main stream for improved condition of service,” the statement reads.