Govt says oil boom must protect workers’ rights

Presidential special adviser and Upstream Petroleum Unit deputy head Carlo McLeod says Namibia’s development of its oil and gas should not come at the expense of workers’ dignity and welfare.

His comments come after The Namibian reported that employees linked to TotalEnergies EP Namibia raised concerns over employment packages during their transition from recruitment company Africa Provider Offshore Services to direct employment with TotalEnergies.

The employees alleged that the new packages did not adequately recognise their years of service and previous working conditions.

“The allegations reported in the article have not been independently verified. Nevertheless, the concerns raised serve as an important reminder that Namibia’s economic development must never come at the expense of the dignity, rights, and welfare of its workers,” McLeod said.

He said Namibia’s petroleum resources must create benefits beyond government revenue and contribute to employment creation, skills development and economic empowerment.

“Namibia has consistently maintained that the development of our petroleum resources must create value beyond royalties and taxes. It must also generate decent employment, develop local skills, empower Namibian businesses, and deliver lasting socio-economic benefits for present and future generations,” he said.

Namibian Association for Offshore Oil and Gas Service Providers founder Knowledge Ipinge says local content should include ownership, employment, remuneration, benefits and skills development.

“Hiring definitely doesn’t just mean the fact that you have a Namibian on your books. It also extends in terms of the salary that is offered to them, guided by their qualifications or certifications that they have, their expertise and experience,” Ipinge says.

He says workers’ conditions should also be considered when measuring local participation in the sector.

Ipinge says Namibians with similar qualifications and responsibilities should receive comparable employment conditions to expatriates.

“If there is a Namibian available, whatever is being offered to the expatriates should also be offered to the Namibians at the same scale. There should be no discrimination whatsoever,” he says.

He adds that companies operating in the oil and gas sector must comply with existing legislation, including labour laws and affirmative action requirements.

TotalEnergies EP Namibia has maintained that its employment practices comply with Namibian laws and that its new employment offers include benefits such as medical aid and pension provisions.

The company has also said expatriate employees are employed on different terms because they provide specialised skills and support the training of Namibian personnel.

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