The services of over 100 workers contracted by selected contractors of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation to work at refineries have been discontinued as the oil firm rehabilitates its refineries, a report by The PUNCH has shown.

It was learnt that after the NNPC disengaged the contractors, the over 100 persons who were contracted by about five contracting outfits were asked to leave.

It was gathered in Abuja that the affected persons were asked to leave because of the ongoing rehabilitation work at the refineries.

The Group General Manager, Group Public Affairs Division, NNPC, Kennie Obateru, said the corporation was working to revive the refineries and make them deliver at least 90 per cent of their refining capacities.

Explaining what happened at the facilities, Obateru said, “The people concerned are not our direct staff. We have contractors who supply us labour, they could be 10, 20 or more and they are just engaged for the period for which their services are needed. It could be one or two months, but usually not more than three months.

“So the contractor supplies the workers. But from what we have seen, our experience is that because a contractor is used to working with some people, each time we ask for supply, he uses some of these persons repeatedly.”