A foreign magazine IBtimes of February 24, 2010 reported that French oil giant Total is ready to invest $20 billion in Nigerian oil and gas development spread through energy markets in an unlikely bit of positive news for the beleaguered African producer.

The report went further to say that the company itself would only confirm investments of $7 billion, according to news agency reports, saying that the remaining portion would be from partners, who remained unnamed.

However, a tiny cabal is bent on sinking this huge investment directly or indirectly by putting the rest of Nigerians into a very bad image even worst than that of late Gen Abacha.
They are in the cadre similar to the military ranks of Captains, they cut across all divisions and departments of Total, while the Generals (DGMs, GMs and EGMs) are unaware of their agenda; they are busy with policy making while this tiny group’s mission is nothing but to sink this huge investment running to almost $20b.

The management of the company came up with a lofty idea of increasing its staff strength to cope with the coming expansion and to achieve this it resolved to convert the contract staff (presently on fixed-term contracts) that has weathered the storm to permanent staff.

The cabal led by one John Owofera perfected their plans weeks before the conversion exercise for Contract Staff and their mission is to sink the company’s investment by removing the qualified contract staff from their jobs and denying them the potential positions they are looking forward to, this they hope to achieve through ‘arrangee’ aptitude test for their cronies while making others look like idiots, dull & not capable of passing the arrangee aptitude test
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They conducted a simple SHL Test for well over 350 Labour contract staff; made it looked transparent in the presence of honest  recruitment staffs. They assessed the test in the presence of the contract staff having given their cronies answers to the tests , the lopsided pattern of the result was evident in the number of secretaries that excelled in the assessment much to the amazement of experienced and qualified engineers in Total labour contracts.

John Owofera went further to announce the result that was reminiscent of Nigerian INEC result. A source confirmed that days before the arrangee test, his cronies were provided the answers to the test, released same to some secretaries and their friends.
Out of over 350 Contract staff that took the test, 25 of them were announced to be successful, 18 of this 25 contract staff are women, 12 of which are from Human Resource department, about 14 are secretaries and ironically no Engineer in Total passed the Mathematics but secretaries.

The question now is why should Total subject contract staff that helped in the development of the company to such ridicule and disrepute? Why will fellow Nigerians subject themselves to this kind of treatment while the expatriate staffs behave as if nothing is wrong?

Seeing that the internet is the 21st century tool of democracy I have brought this case to the people’s court to see what these foreign operators do to Nigerians but unfortunately through our Nigerian brothers, kindly assist in propagating this gospel so that Total Nigeria will reverse their steps. If possible assist to suggest other Nigerian and target forum where regulators of the industry can hear about this sham.