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Tag: oil firm

  • Oil firm okays $4b to increase output

    Oil firm okays $4b to increase output

    Aiteo Eastern Exploration and Production Company (AEEPCo) Limited has set a medium term investment of $4 billion to increase oil and gas production, The Nation has learnt.

    Its Group Managing Director,  Chike Onyejekwe, who disclosed this, noted that the fund will be channeled to declining and brown fields to boost oil and gas outputs from the firm’s oil and gas fields.

    Onyejekwe said: “Aiteo is poised to grow oil production. We will arrest declining and brown fields. We will also focus on attaining a target of producing 300 million standard cubic feet of gas per day (mmscfd) by increasing associated gas (AG), develop non-associated gas (NAG) and diversify our market.

    “The $4 billion medium term investment will also be used for infrastructure asset integrity, reduce losses and create flexibility.”

    Onyejekwe said the firm was incorporated in 2014 to participate in the SPDC/Total/NAOC asset divestment in Eastern Niger Delta. It scaled the rigorous technical, financial, credit assessment and know your customer (KYC) by both the sellers and lenders syndicate. The firm syndicated medium term acquisition facility in two tranches – offshore and onshore, and was selected successful bidder for 45 per cent oil mining lease (OML) 29 and Nembe Creek Trunk line (NCTL), referred to as assets. It reached financial close in September 2014, he added.

    The onshore tranche, he noted, represented the single largest debt financing in local oil and gas sector by indigenous banks, which makes AEEPCo a strategically important borrower to the banking industry. He stated that the resource base of the firm include 2500 million barrels of oil and two trillion cubic feet of gas, six flow stations and six associated gas gathering facilities with a capacity of 50 mmscfd.

    The firm’s major fields include Nembe, S/Barbara, Okoroba, Oloibiri. Its 97km Nembe Creek Trunk Line has the capacity to evacuate 600million barrels per day and has six injectors.

    He said Aiteo operates in a highly challenging business environment with challenges of oil price collapse and debt  service. Other external and internal challenges, he said, include vandalism and theft, changing funding landscape, ageing assets, community management issues and facilities uptime.

    Onyejekwe said: “Our growth drivers remain strong: leadership, high commitment and motivation, technical and commercial excellence and superior asset base. In the next five years, our operations will continue to be guided by these qualities as we leverage our capabilities comparable to oil majors elsewhere in the world. Indeed, the future is Aiteo.”

    The Chief Executive Officer/Chairman, Aiteo Group, Benedict Peters also said the company grew production from 25,000 barrels per day (bpd) upon takeover of operations to a peak of 90,000 bpd in one year. He also highlighted several existing and developing projects that could potentially grow Aiteo’s asset production to over 150,000bpd and 200mmscf/d.

    Aiteo acquired OML 29 when Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC) fully exited the facility with Total and Nigerian Agip Oil Company (NAOC). At the time of the divestment, average production was 23,000bpd.

    Peter said: “Our outlook is bright with three producing oil fields and viable crude exports via Bonny terminal. We also have contingent resources to appraise and prospective ones to explore in the medium-to-long term, including full 3D coverage and 2P NNS reserves at 1.6 billion barrels. Put simply, we have a clear vision for the future with the experience and assets crucial to providing oil and gas consistently on a regional and global scale.

    “Aiteo’s ambitious five-year objectives include tackling the power challenges in Nigeria head-on through its legacy investments in the gas-to-power value chain.

    “This is a testament to our commitment to the transformation of the entire oil & gas value chain into a world-class landscape.”

  • Oil firm begins $250m flagship project

    A foremost indigenous oil and gas company, Southfield Petroleum Limited, has commenced the development of its $250Million Flagship Project, the Utorogu Project.
    This is a follow-up to the November 16, 2016, signing of a turnkey $198Million Equipment, Procurement and Construction (EPC) contract to construct a 250MMScfd Gas Processing Facility with China Machinery Engineering Corporation (CMEC). The company is engaged mainly in Gas Processing.
    Southfield Petroleum Limited received an approval from the Federal Government to construct Gas Processing Plants on a Build, Own and Operate Basis in April 2009, after which it executed a Gas Processing Agreement with the Nigerian Petroleum Development Company Limited (NPDC)/ ND Western Limited for the Utorogu Gas fields in April 2014.
    The contract was executed during the visit by China Machinery Engineering Corporation (CMEC) to Southfield Petroleum Limited in Abuja.
    The China Machinery Engineering Corporation team was led by their Group Vice President, Mr Jin Chunsheng. China Machinery Engineering Corporation was received in Abuja by the Southfield Petroleum team led by the Managing Director, Dr Patrick Ndiomu.
    The CMEC team also used the opportunity of their meeting with Southfield Petroleum to pay courtesy visits to the Honourable Minister of Petroleum Dr Ibe Kachikwu and the Group Executive Director, Upstream of NNPC, Alh Bello B. Rabiu.
    The  EPC contract, which was executed, also provided for the construction of facilities, such as a captive Jetty, 24MW Captive Power, a 14,000MT LPG Storage, 3,000MT LPG Barge, Office Buildings, infrastructure ,the construction of an Amine Unit to extract the Carbon Dioxide from the gas and a robust training programme for Nigerians.
    The project will be funded by long term export finance provided by the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (ICBC), the bankers of CMEC.
    CMEC is a Chinese Engineering Company which has extensive competency in Engineering, Procurement and Construction services.
    The company is listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange and has executed several contracts in Africa, including the construction of the Phase 1&2 of the Olorunsogo Power Plant in Ondo State, Nigeria.
    It is a wholly owned subsidiary of China National Machinery Industry Corporation (Sinomach) group of companies. Sinomach is owned by the Chinese government and is one of the largest engineering construction companies in the world.
    The facilities will be operational at the Utorogu Gas Field by Q2 2018 and will have an annual production of 200,000MT of LPG.
    The facility will be initially operated by CMEC, while Nigerians would be trained to ensure technology transfer and capacity development.

    According to Dr Patrick Ndiomu, the Southfield Utorogu Project has great national benefits, which include the “local production of 200,000MT of LPG (Cooking Gas) to meet local LPG production demand for Nigeria, Reduced flaring which impacts the host communities, increased Gas supply to the Power Generating Stations through lean gas supply and by making additional gas available from new wells, creation of over 500 direct jobs and 2,000 indirect jobs for Nigerians and the reduction in vandalisation of the pipelines as the pipes now will no longer have liquids which have mostly been the basis for vandals to break the pipelines.”

  • Oil firm begins $250m flagship project

    Aforemost indigenous oil and gas company, Southfield Petroleum Limited, has begun the development of its $250 million flagship project, the Utorogu Project.

    This is a follow-up to the November 16 signing of a turnkey $198 million equipment, procurement and construction (EPC) contract to build a 250 MMS cfd gas processing facility with China Machinery Engineering Corporation (CMEC).

    The company is engaged mainly in gas processing.

    Southfield Petroleum Limited received an approval from the Federal Government to build gas processing plants on a Build, Own and Operate Basis (BOOB) in April, 2009.

    It later executed a gas processing agreement with the Nigerian Petroleum Development Company Limited (NPDC) with ND Western Limited for the Utorogu gas fields in April, 2014.

    The contract was executed during the visit of China Machinery Engineering Corporation (CMEC) to Southfield Petroleum Limited in Abuja.

    The CMEC team was led by its Group Vice President Jin Chunsheng.

    CMEC was received in Abuja by the Southfield Petroleum team, led by the Managing Director, Dr Patrick Ndiomu.

    The CMEC team also met with Southfield Petroleum during visits to the Minister of State for Petroleum, Dr Ibe Kachikwu, as well as the Group Executive Director of Upstream of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Alhaji Bello B. Rabiu.

    The EPC contract also provided for the construction of facilities, such as a captive Jetty, 24 megawatts (MW) captive power, a 14,000 metric tonnes (MT) LPG storage, 3,000MT LPG barge, office buildings, infrastructure, the construction of an Amine Unit to extract the carbon dioxide from the gas and a robust training programme for Nigerians.

    The project will be funded by long-term export finance provided by the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (ICBC), the bankers to CMEC.

    CMEC has extensive competency in engineering, procurement and construction services.

    The company is listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange and has executed several contracts in Africa, including the construction of the Phase I and II of the Olorunsogo power plant in Ondo State.

    It is a wholly owned subsidiary of China National Machinery Industry Corporation (Sinomach) Group of Companies.

    Sinomach is owned by the Chinese Government and is one of the largest engineering construction companies in the world.

    The facilities will be operational at the Utorogu Gas Field by the second quarter of 2018 and will have an annual production of 200,000 MT of LPG.

  • Court orders agency to pay oil firm N26b

    A Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON) to pay Capital Oil and Gas Limited about N26 billion in compliance with the terms of agreement entered between them which the court adopted as a consent judgment in 2013.

    Justice Adamu Kafarati held that AMCON was morally and legally obligated to perform its responsibilities under the consent judgment adopted in a suit marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/714/2012 between AMCON (as plaintiff) and Capital Oil (as 2nd defendant).

    Justice Kafarati’s judgment was on a suit marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/514/2015 filed against AMCON by Capital Oil to enforce the consent judgment of 2013, which ended the dispute between them over the oil company’s indebtedness to some financial institution, which AMCON took over.

    AMCON was required under the consent judgment to restructure Capital Oil’s debt and provide it N16b as Trade Finance Facility to revamp its business and to pay its trade creditors.

    It was also required to make N10.590billion available to Capital Oil for the payment of sundry creditors who continue to threaten its business.

    On its part, Capital Oil was required to transfer assets worth N78.55billion to AMCON to qualify for the over N26billion payment by AMCON.

    Justice Kafarati said he was convinced from the evidence provided that Capital Oil fulfilled its obligation under the consent judgment by fully transferring assets worth N78.55billion to AMCON.

  • PIB: Nigeria mulls 40% sale of new state oil firm

    PIB: Nigeria mulls 40% sale of new state oil firm

    Nigeria plans to split  the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) into two to help ease a planned stake sale of at least 40 per cent of a newly created National Petroleum Co (NPC) in coming years, according to a draft of a long-awaited oil bill seen by Reuters.

    The bill envisages the sale of at least 10 per cent of NPC over five years, and is targeting 40 per cent or more over 10 years. The transaction is expected to fix a cash shortage that is hampering investment at NNPC and end graft.

    The National Assembly is to start debating within days the amended Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB), in the works for a decade and designed to change everything from taxes to environmental rules and revenue sharing, as well as overhauling NNPC.

    Lawmakers have not previously been able to agree on the 200-page bill, but President Muhammadu Buhari has made its passing a priority as he seeks to overhaul the oil and gas sector, which accounts for 70 percent of state income.

    NNPC’s output has been stagnant at around two million barrels a day for years as the company struggles with graft, bureaucracy and funding problems.

    To accelerate the reform process, the nation is breaking up the bill, with the first part dealing with the reform of NNPC, a pet project of Buhari.

    “Divestment of shares … may include the sale or transfer of shares to institutional or strategic investors,” the draft said, without giving more details.

    A sale of at least a 10 per cent stake in the new firm is to take place within five years, with the rest to happen within 10 years, the bill says. The previous draft had called for a 30 per cent sale within six years.

    It gave no reason for the longer timeframe, but a source involved in the draft, said selling a larger stake was intended to raise more funds and help minimise the risk of corruption, because of the greater influence of outside investors and private firms.

    “Bidding is open to international investors,” the source said.

    Part of Nigeria’s output comes from joint ventures (JV) with foreign and local companies in which NNPC holds the majority stake. However, NNPC is always behind on covering its share of costs owing to the slow pace of government approvals, explaining the need for outside funding.

    The act that created NNPC decades ago contained legal grey areas which allowed mismanagement to go unchecked and billions of dollars in revenue to go seemingly unaccounted for.

    NPC will look after JVs mainly with oil majors, while the second company to be created from NNPC, dubbed NPAM, will manage all production-sharing contracýts and service agreements, a second source involved in drafting the bill said.

    The draft bill already lists 26 licences but the source said there would be many more.

    The second source involved in the drafting also said that the other bills which would be part of the overall reform of the energy sector have not yet been finalised.

  • NNPC sues oil firm, others for alleged trademark infringement

    NNPC sues oil firm, others for alleged trademark infringement

    The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), through its subsidiary, NNPC Retail Limited, has sued an oil marketing firm, Natural Network Petroleum and Gas Company Limited (NNPG) and two others for alleged trademark infringement.

    NNPC, in a suit filed by its lawyer, Muyiwa Atoyebi, contended that by adopting NNPG as its trade name, the firm infringed on its trademark, a development that resulted in reduction in revenue from NNPC’s marketing operations  in Ondo State.

    The plaintiff stated, in its statement of claim, that NNPG was imitating NNPC by using its colour combination of red, yellow, green, uniform, emblem and the acronym NNPG to deceive the public. It added that such act amounted to a sabotage of the government’s effort to provide petroleum products for the people.

    The plaintiff stated that it only discovered earlier this year that “the 1st defendant (NNPG) sells and continues to sell petroleum products under the confusing brand design of NNPG, at the very least, confusingly similar to that of the plaintiff’s registered trademark NNPC in Akure, Ondo state.

    “The 1st defendant with the intention to deceive unsuspecting general public has also adopted and continually used for its commercial benefit, in its retail outlets/service stations that exact unique colour/combination of colours with very similar emblem of its own.

    “The acronym NNPG, coupled with the entire features of its colour combination is associated in the mind of the public as the plaintiff’s service outlet NNPC,” it said.

    Joined as the 2nd and 3rd defendants in the suit now pending before the Federal High Court, Akure, are the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) and Registrar of Trade Marks, Patent and Designs (RTMPD).

    The plaintiff is praying the court for among others, a declaration? that the first defendant ‘NNPG’ mark is phonetically and alphabetically confusingly identical/similar to NNPC’s trademark.

    It wants an order of perpetual injunction restraining NNPG from selling, offering any service, advertising for sale or promoting howsoever the name and consequently the acronym of NNPG in any of its service outlets, or any similar acronym, mark design and/or trade logo identical or similar to its own.

    The plaintiff also seeks an order directing CAC pursuant to Section 31(1) and (4) of the Companies and Allied Matters act, 1990 to remove the NNPG’s name from its record being similar with its registered trademark, NNPC.

    The plaintiff sought N15million penalty against the defendants as compensation for exemplary and  general damages  for the infringement and passing off of its trademark and design.

    It has also instituted a separate suit against another company – Flory Mummy Nigeria Limited (FMNL) – over similar infringement.

    Last Friday, Justice I. M. Sanni ordered that the  CAC and the Registrar of Trade Marks be served with all processes in relation to the case, in their head offices in Abuja.

    The case has been adjourned till November 10.

  • Bayelsa communities at war with oil firm

    Bayelsa communities at war with oil firm

    In this report, our correspondent in Yenagoa, Mike Odiegwu, writes about oil spill in some communities and how the people are demanding for clear action from the oil firm responsible.

    Okpotuwari and Ondewari communities in Olodiama clan, Southern Ijaw Local Government Area, Bayelsa State, may not be good neighbours. But they have one thing in common – crude oil spills. They bear the brunt of playing hosts to the Ossiama-Ogboibiri pipelines belonging to the Nigerian Agip Oil Company (NAOC).

    Most times, the pipeline either by act of sabotage or equipment failure spill the black gold into the environment. The communities are, indeed, always raising the alarm about the environmental damage caused by such incessant spills.

    For instance in April, a spill occurred along the pipeline. Following the outcries of the communities, the spill site was clamped by the company on April 23 and the Joint Investigation Visit (JIV) was carried out by all the stakeholders.  According to one of the reports of the Environmental Right Action and Friends of the Earth (ERA/FoE), the JIV showed that the spill was caused by equipment failure.

    ERA in the report by its Bayelsa State Project Officer, Mr. Alagoa Morris, said since the JIV was conducted, nothing in terms of clean-up and remediation had been done by officials of NAOC and regulatory agencies such as the Ministry of Environment, National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA) and the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) which participated in the visit.

    Short end of the stick 

    “They have not revisited the impacted site or taken any pragmatic steps to follow up and take actions in line with internationally accepted best practices in the oil industry. The scenario is even worse when we take into consideration that we are entering deeper into the rainy season when the rains would facilitate spreading of crude oil slick in surrounding swamps, farms and farmlands.

    “This is another glaring testament indicating the oil industry in Nigeria is yet to measure up to acceptable best practices and, reason why the sailing mutual lack of trust/confidence and seeming hostilities between operators and impacted communities would continue for a long time,” the report said.

    While the communities were still nursing the wounds of the April spills, another spill occurred on June 16th, close to the last spill site. To further degrade the environment, the current spill was said to be raging with fire.

    The acting Paramount Ruler of Okpotuwari, Chief Moses Tiger, confirmed the current oil spill and said the community had already informed Agip about it. He said he sent some youths to check the site and they returned with a report that crude oil was gushing seriously from the pipeline.

    “I was informed by some youths I sent to check that, crude oil was gushing seriously and that it is spreading and impacted the whole surrounding environment. From what I was told, the spill point is very close to the spill site clamped in April this year.

    “Incidentally, I heard the fresh spill site is on fire now and; I can see a thick column of smoke rising from the site. This fire started yesterday evening and, is still on right now [being Wednesday, 17th June, 2015]. Agip should spare us of this environmental destruction by responding promptly to oil spills.

    “The delay in mobilising to spill sites even when the company is duly informed and dragging their feet to clean-up impacted sites is very annoying and, I don’t think this is the best we can get from oil companies.

    “I am still appealing that Agip should come and stop the current spill/fire and clean-up every trace of crude oil from our land, including the immediate past one. The environment is of great importance to us”, he said.

    Also, the Project Officer of a community-based organisation, Ondewari Health Education and Environment Project (OHEEP), Mr. Tontiemotei Yeiyei, said he saw the dark and thick column of smoke rising from across the spill site across the river.

    According to him, “I was guessing it was the spill site that Agip came for clamping in April that has been set ablaze because the position of the rising smoke looked very much like the same place. But, I am also hearing that a fresh spill has just occurred within that same environment.

    “This smoke from spill sites is very unhealthy as we depend on rain water and the river for drinking and even bathing and other domestic/economic activities. Some of us are suspecting that it is a thing like this that has deprived us of mamacoco, that special cocoyam that is almost gone extinct.

    “The government should be more serious with the oil companies and anyone found wanting on this and related subject matters. We are losing a lot in terms of health and livelihood as a result of oil industry related activities around us.”

    Stop the delay

    ERA in the report condemned NAOC for its delays in responding to spill information with regard to clamping and clean-up. It described the action of the company as corporate social irresponsibility and double standard.

    The report said: “If clean-up is yet to commence in a spill impacted site that Agip effected clamping since April, 2015, when would the community consider it auspicious to do so, knowing full well that the rains are here and the situation would be worse as the days go by?

    “This is environmental terrorism; more so as the spill occurred as a direct consequence of equipment failure [the one clamped in April, 2015]. It is not certain whether the current oil spill is also caused by equipment failure; since JIV is yet to be conducted.

    “But whatever the cause of spill NAOC has the responsibility to promptly stop, contain, ensure JIV is done, clamp the ruptured spot and follow up with recovery and clean-up. Issues of relief materials and compensation are later actions.

    “But, every effort has to be made to protect the environment. Yes, because the environment is our life. Any fish, animal or crop from crude oil polluted site poses grave danger to consumers. And, since we all depend of the farmers and fisher folks and we buy from the same markets; everyone is at risk; not just those living in the immediate environment.”

    ERA, therefore, demands that Agip should, without further delay; mobilise to the site of interest and stop the spill and the fire.

    It also called on regulatory agencies such as NOSDRA, environment ministry and DPR to rise up to the occasion and prevail on NAOC to do the proper thing and promptly too.

    It recommended that Agip should be fined for non-disclosure of the spill within 24 hours and failing to take immediate action as stipulated in the NOSDRA Act.

    According to ERA, a JIV should be conducted promptly and cause of spill made public and the community must be given a copy of the signed JIV Report for record purposes.

    “The regulatory agencies, especially the State Ministry of Environment should prevail on NAOC to immediately take steps to clean-up the sites impacted by crude oil from the company’s facility…without further delays.

    “The People of Okpotuwari should continue to monitor their environment effectively and report all such unhealthy happenings to the regulators, NAOC and ERA for needed action in the interest of the environment”, ERA said.

    However, NAOC could not be reached for its reaction to the spill.

  • ‘Bring our family back to life,’ angry residents tell oil firm

    Odidi community in Warri Southwest Local Government Area of Delta State has issued a 14-day ultimatum to the Nigeria Petroleum Development Company (NPDC) to “resurrect” the four residents, who died in a fire caused by the company’s damaged facility.

    In a statement yesterday in Warri by its Chairman, Boro Danpolo; an elder, Gowon Akibra and spokesperson, Stanley Goodboy, the community threatened to shut down NPDC’s facilities at the expiration of the ultimatum, if it failed to bring back the dead.

    A woman, identified as Ebisinde Foto, 36, and her three children – Esegha Foto, 16; Gift Foto, six and Prince Foto, a toddler, were burnt to death on April 4 when the family was fishing on River Odidi.

    It was learnt that the four  were burnt to death when they attempted to light their fishing lamp, unaware that the water contained crude oil.

    The crude was said to have spilled from the Riapele-Forcados Trunkline, belonging to the NPDC.

    A senior member of NPDC’s management, who spoke in confidence, told our reporter that the company had reached out to the community and the family of the victims.

    The source said NPDC donated materials to the five communities affected by the spill and discussed the roles it would play in the burial of the deceased with their family.

    “…We’ve visited them. We gave materials to the five affected communities. We have visited the family. They have buried one person; remaining three. We are having meetings with them on our role in the burial and beyond,” the source said.

    The community, in the statement it copied to prominent Ijaw leaders, vowed to “deal” with the oil company.

    The statement said: “We can’t fold our arms and see our family killed and abandoned. This is the first time in history we have witnessed a family killed under NPDC. We will shut down all oil installations and exploration until our deceased wife and daughters are returned to life,” the statement said.

    The residents said NPDC officials had not visited the family of the deceased since the incident occurred a fortnight ago.

    It was learnt the bodies of the dead had been deposited at the morgue of Warri Central Hospital.

     

  • Maritime workers vow to picket oil firm in Bayelsa

    Maritime workers in Bayelsa State on Monday said that nothing would stop them from disrupting the activities of Conoil Producing Nigeria Limited in the state on Wednesday.

    The workers said the planned industrial action would stop all the oil drilling activities of the company in Ango Field in Koluama Clan, Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of the state.

    The workers under the aegis of Maritime Workers’ Union of Nigeria (MWUN) said they took the decision as the last resort after exhausting other methods of resolving industrial disputes.

    The state Chairman of the MWUN, Mr. Lloyd Sese, said the union had written many letters to the company to no avail.

    “As a law abiding union we had severally written to the company requesting for a meeting with its management concerning its operations in Ango Field located at Koluama which by virtue of its Martime Environment falls within the coverage of the union to no avail.

    “The nonchalant attitude of the management made the union to give the company 21 days ultimatum to meet with the union or face the risk of being picketed by the union. The 21 days ultimatum given by the union has since expired hence this press release.

    “We wish to announce here that the union shall mobilise its members and every resource at its disposal and proceed to Ango Field location at Koluama on Wednesday,” he said.

  • Ex-worker sues oil firm for N10m over ‘unlawful’ dismissal

    Ex-worker sues oil firm for N10m over ‘unlawful’ dismissal

    A former employee of Waltersmith Petroman Oil Limited, Mrs Loveline Jaiyesinmi has sued the company at the National Industrial Court (NIC) in Lagos over the alleged wrongful termination of her employment.

    She is seeking N10million damages and an order compelling the firm to pay all her entitlements.

    Jaiyesinmi, through her lawyer Mrs Ifeoma Obi, is claiming that she was employed as a Front Desk Officer on August 1, 2010, but the company, contrary to the terms of her contract, refused to confirm her employment after a six month probation period.

    According to her, she was instead given additional duties and was surprisingly issued a reviewed letter of employment dated June 4 last year, which placed her on probation again despite the fact that her probation ended in February 2011 as contained in her first appointment letter.

    She said she applied for maternity leave and was shocked to receive a termination letter on October 8 last year, the same day she was delivered of her baby.

    The basis for her sack, she said, was that she was not entitled to proceed on maternity leave as she was neither confirmed nor had attained six months in the firm’s employment.

    According to her, her dismissal was “unjustifiable and misconceived” because she had been in Waltersmith’s employment for over three years.

    “The letter of employment in June 2013 merely reviewed some terms of my employment and no more,” she said.

    Jaiyesinmi said despite her protests, the company paid her N200,000 as her final entitlements, adding that all through her employment, her pension deductions were never remitted to any fund administrator.

    The claimant said her former lawyer, the late Bamidele Aturu, wrote to the company, but never got a reply even Waltersmith did not pay her while she was on maternity leave nor gave her any leave allowance.

    Jaiyesinmi, therefore, is praying the court to declare as illegal the termination of her employment; order the payment of her salaries (N83,306.20) from October last year till judgment is delivered; and order remittance of N5,365.24 from August 1, 2010, being monthly pension deductions, till judgment.

    The claimant also claimed N115,883.6, being default fee for failing to remit the pension; N106,557.97, being her leave allowance for three years; N10million as damages for her unlawful sack, and N900,000 being cost of the action.

    But the company said Jaiyesinmi was employed as a contract staff, an appointment which ended on May 30 last year. It said she was only offered a permanent employment on June 4 last year.

    Waltersmith said the claimant was not entitled to leave having only just become a permanent staff, adding that she could only proceed on vacation after producing a medical certificate signed by a doctor, which the claimant allegedly did not do.

    “The claimant did not meet the requisite criteria for proceeding on maternity leave neither did she obtain the required approvals,” Waltersmith said.

    The case has been adjourned till December 1 for hearing.