Sacked staff member of Mobil demands N100m damages

A staff of Mobil Producing Nigeria Unlimited, Ernest Omo-Ojo, has asked the National Industrial Court in Abuja to award him the sum of N100 million over the alleged wrongful termination of his appointment.

The presiding judge in the matter, Justice Sanusi Kado, has remitted it to the president of the court for re-assignment.

Omo-Ojo is contending that the termination of his appointment by Mobil in a letter dated 24th June 2019 after he published a faith-based book, and contested for vice president of the ExxonMobil Employees Mulitpurpose Cooperative Society, was wrongful, null and void in law.

In the suit filed by his counsel, Max Ogar Esq, OmoOjo is contending that his sack was done without due process on release of employee as the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR), which is the statutory regulator of the oil and gas industry, had in its resolution of the October 15, 2019 issued a 14-day timeline to comply with the DPR guidelines.

Omo-Ojo informed the court that since the “unethical stoppage” of his salary and allowances, he has gone through avoidable pain for over 15 months with a serious toll on the welfare of his family, his children’s university education with psychological impact on his family.

He wants

the

court

to rule among others that the Federal Ministry of Petroleum Resources is under an obligation to enforce its guidelines and ensure compliance with same.

He is further demanding “An order directing the DPR to wield the big stick against the Mobil Producing Nigeria Unlimited and/or ExxonMobil.”

“An order declaring as null and void the action of Mobil Producing Nigeria Unlimited (MPNU) and/or ExxonMobil taken in the face of a pending complaint before the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR).”

The manager, Media and Communication of the ExxonMobil, Ogechukwu Udeagha, said the firm does not “comment on confidential personnel matters.”