By Enyichukwu Enemanna
In a move likely to strain bilateral relations, Niger has announced plans to retrench some Chinese employees working on its oil project, a development which will affect dozens of persons and their dependants.
The junta-led West African country, just like its Mali and Burkina Faso neighbours, both of whom are members of the Alliance of Sahel States (AES), has been making more efforts to take more control over its minerals, reducing foreign influence and boosting employment locally.
The oil minister, Sahabi Oumarou, according to two letters sighted by Reuters news agency, has asked the China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC) and its refinery SORAZ to terminate the contracts of expatriates who have been working in Niger for more than four years.
In a letter to SORAZ dated 21 May, Oumarou indicated there would be some flexibility, saying he understood the need to keep certain employees in the country and that departure decisions would be made on a case-by-case basis.
Also, in a separate letter dated 20 May and addressed to CNPC, Oumarou said he would decline a private meeting with the company’s CEO, who had asked to discuss tensions between the two sides.
Oumarou had also, in that letter, accused CNPC of non-compliance with local regulations.
Niger had in March expelled three Chinese oil executives in a dispute over disparities between the salaries of expatriate staff and the lower-paid locally sourced workforce.
According to a source close to the company, in response to the expulsion of its executives, top officials have been making efforts to negotiate with Niger’s officials.
The AES has revoked dozens of mining licences belonging to foreign countries and placed a ban on the export of raw mineral resources, aiming to boost the capacity of local refineries and generate much-needed employment opportunities.
