Retired staff of ExxonMobil have accused the company of abandoning them to suffer in pain and misery despite years of dedication and meritorious services.

According to the retirees, the promise of medical coverage for staff and spouses contained in disengagement letter has been breached by the company’s management forcing former employees to find ways to address the medical issues.

One of the retirees who spoke to Vanguard lamented that the company has forced its employees into a state of hopelessness and lamentation, pleading with government and other authorities to intervene before things get out of hand.

He threatened that the retirees may be forced to occupy the company’s facilities and offices to advance their cause and draw public attention to their plights.

According to him, the “ExxonMobil that we worked and know had always been anti workers interest. The company only focuses on profit, and cares less about the workers’ welfare. You would have noticed that hardly in the past you would not see escalation of our negotiations to Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC/ Ministry of Labour and Employment to intervene. All they do is to retiree, blackmail or blacklist union’s officials and frustrate them.

“In the past, all request to include retirement benefits in our chatter of demands always lead to crises by multitude excuses.

“While other companies take good care of their staff and retirees, ExxonMobil does the contrary. In fact, it is always difficult. Except you fight, the company does not give anything.

In our disengagement letter it was clearly written that medical coverage will be provided for staff and spouses. But guess what, they are only providing skeletal medical services and making retirees and spouses pay when referred to do any test or radiology test.

“It took the union and retirees years to get the management to provide Insurance, which retirees and spouses still pay some percentage. Workers that worked in the company’s facilities, when the safety standards were poor and below standard and are now having health challenges at advanced age are now left to fend for themselves.

How can one explain a situation where workers 10 years or less after retirement, the ExxonMobil management find it difficult to increase retirees’ pension with N100,000 or more increment?

“We appeal to Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission, NUPRC, and SEPLAT to intervene before things deteriorate. We may be forced to occupy the company’s known operational facilities and offices. Unfortunately SEPLAT may be affected for ExxonMobil sins. This is a wake-up call to all Nigerians in managerial positions. These companies only use and dump Nigerians at crucial stages when workers especially retirees need them most

“Oil and Gas union in the country should please come to our aid to ensure this act of inhumanity, ill treatment and neglect wickedness is eradicated. We salute the union courage and the bold stand to challenge exploitation in any form.”

Corroborating, the President of ExxonMobil Retirees Association of Nigeria, EMRAN, Adebiyi Aderinto, in a statement titled ExxonMobil abandons retirees amid economic hardship”, said “The ExxonMobil Retirees Association of Nigeria (EMRAN) is deeply concerned about the continued neglect of retirees by ExxonMobil, especially at a time of severe economic hardship in Nigeria. “Unlike other international oil companies (IOCs) that have consistently shown compassion to their retirees, ExxonMobil has repeatedly rejected our appeals for support, including critical medical care.

“Many retirees who dedicated decades of service to the company now face financial distress and health challenges without assistance. We call on ExxonMobil to reconsider its stance and provide the necessary financial and medical supports to those who helped build its legacy in Nigeria.

“We urge the public, stakeholders, and relevant authorities to hold ExxonMobil accountable for the shabby treatment of its Nigerian retirees.” (Vanguard)