Against the backdrop of the planned divestment of 60 percent equity stake of Chevron Corporation in Chevron Oil Nigeria Plc, the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN), Chevron branch, has kicked against the deal, saying that the management should settle their entitlements before it divests.

Chevron PENGASSAN branch chairman, Clement Ofoegbu, who said this in a chat with newsmen in Lagos, observed that the management of Chevron Nigeria Limited has kept quiet over the grouse of workers, especially their welfare before divesting its 60 per cent equity to other investors.

He said, "The company told us that they believe in industry practice and even in their offer, they have not even reached what we did in 1997. The package that was agreed in 1997 and 2004 has much more in the industry. So that shows clearly that they have no mandate and that they are just doing that to waste our time while their process of selling is going on unhindered".

Ofoegbu, who stated that Chevron has not posted any negative result in the last 10 years, noted that the best the firm can do now that it has decided to leave the country is to pay the workers their entitlements.

He said, "We are aware that over 55 companies bided to take the 60 percent stake of Chevron Corporation as a result of the viability of the company. If the company was a dying company, nobody would have been interested in it but because they saw it as a viable company; a company that has good will; a company that the workers are dedicated and they are ready to deliver and that is why everybody wants to acquire".

He explained that the staffs of the company have held over 13 meetings with the management for the settlement of the workers' entitlement, all which ended in deadlock.

Meanwhile, all efforts to reach the management failed, as several calls as at press time were abortive.