Mobil must reinstate 860 sacked staff, says Falana

Femi Falana, a human right lawyer, has asked Chris Ngige, minister of labour, to mandate Mobil Producing Nigeria Unlimited to obey the supreme court ruling on the 860 security staff sacked by the company.

In a letter dated September 19, 2018 to the minister, the senior advocate of Nigeria (SAN) accused Exxon Mobil of flouting the ruling of the supreme court delivered on April 20, 2018.

The apex court had ordered the oil company to reinstate the staff and pay their outstanding entitlement.

Falana, however, stated that instead of obeying the ruling, the company neither reinstated the affected staff nor paid their terminal benefits with the conditions of service applicable in the oil industry.

The lawyer disclosed that Paul McGrath, the managing director of the oil company, decided to lay off the affected staff on July 13.

“In spite of your timely intervention, the oil company has continued to treat the judgement of the highest court of the land with provocative contempt. Contrary to the terms of the judgement, the oil company has decided not to reinstate the employees. As if that is not enough, the oil company has decided to ignore the relevant provisions of the Labour Act by refusing to pay the terminal benefits of the employees in strict compliance with the conditions of service applicable in the oil industry,” Falana’s letter read.

“Since the oil company cannot disobey the judgement of the Supreme Court of the United States of America, it should not be allowed to treat the Supreme Court of Nigeria with disdain. Having regard to the facts and circumstances of this case, we are compelled to urge you to use your good offices to ensure that the valid and subsisting judgements of the Supreme Court are fully complied with not later than September 24, 2018.”

The oil company has come under severe criticisms for its action.