…Berates Unions For Plotting To Distabilise Operations
Yemisi Izuora
As part of on-going transformation initiatives aimed at strengthening the operational capacity of Neconde Energy Limited, the E&P subsidiary of the Obijackson Group, the operator of the OML 42, the company’s management has affirmed commitment to responsible business and employee management practices.
The company whose production had gone down from 52,000 barrels per day production to 15,000 bpd says it hopes to up production to 70,000 bpd this August.
The declaration was made by the company’s Managing Director, Engr. Frank Edozie at an interactive session with the media on the successes and feats the company has recorded since its establishment through acquisition of a 45 per cent working interest from the Shell, Total and Agip Joint Venture (SPDC) in 2011.
In his remarks, he acknowledged the centrality of employees to the success of the organization, saying “our workforce has remained a key factor in the evolution of Neconde, and their wellbeing remains important to us.
We are a people-centered organization, so the value we place on employees is not just because we know that our continued existence is dependent on them, but mainly because every human being deserves as good life, and should be treated fairly”.
“For instance, a component of our strategic goal for the year is to achieve an estimate of 70,000bpd. This has led us to develop “barged production” as an alternative to crude evacuation using the Trans Forcados Pipeline which has been out of service since 13th February, 2016.
We have also undertaken some strategic steps, such as rehabilitation of Batan and Odidi Flow Stations to enable the achievement of our targeted peak gross production rate, revamping of Jones Creek and Egwa Fields for workover of existing wells and development of other infrastructure which includes refurbishing a gas Central Processing Facility (CPF) in Odidi as well as commencement of re-entry of Odidi, Jones Creek fields Egwa 1 & 2”.
“Additionally, we had to relocate our operations to Warri from Lagos, for us to be closer to the base to better enable us to meet our goals of increasing our contributions to the Nigerian economy.
Expectedly, this relocation meant redeployment of employees to the new location, and this was executed in a manner that the associated inconveniences to employees were duly considered and properly mitigated”.
“We are currently in talks with the leadership of PENASSAN to ensure that we reach a mutually beneficial agreement on some of the demands presented by the association.
Even as at Monday 15th May, 2017, the management provided the association with an update and called for a meeting to discuss any remaining potential areas that may still exist. So far, management and the company have enjoyed their co-operation and hope that the association will continue to abide by best-in-class labour union practices by exploring negotiation and collaboration as labour relations tactics”.
Earlier Engr. Edozie had noted that “Neconde is an indigenous E&P company with strong management and extensive in-country experience, so we are fully aware of the challenges facing our sector, and as a key Nigerian player, our goals and aspirations include creating value from every constituent of our stakeholder network which includes employees, our host communities”.