KazMunayGas working group proceeds with analysis of Zhanaozen oil, oilfield service enterprises

ALMATY. April 20 (Interfax) - An ad hoc working group set up by Kazakhstan's KazMunayGas (KMG) has begun work in Zhanaozen with the aim of analyzing the activities of the city's oil and oilfield service enterprises, the KMG press office said in a statement.

The group, including 33 various experts is led by Deputy Chairman of the KMG Management Board Dauletjan Khasanov.

"Their tasks are to hold meetings with the city workers' communities, and get acquainted with working conditions, procurement activities and other aspects of the activities of the enterprises. Complaints from employees of local companies of alleged violations of the terms and conditions of contracts, including those put forward by former employees of BerAli Mangistau Company, will be examined separately during meetings of the ad hoc commission in Astana," the statement says.

In addition, according to KMG, special attention will be paid to identifying and cracking down on corruption risks in the course of procurement procedures by Zhanaozen-based enterprises for various types of services.

Upon review of the analysis to be submitted by the ad hoc commission, an action plan will be set up with the aim of resolving current problems of an economic and social nature, according to the statement.

On April 10 about 150 Zhanaozen-based workers sacked by BerAli Mangistau Company, an oilfield service firm, gathered in front of the Energy Ministry building in Astana and demanded that their employment be arranged with the oil company Ozenmunaigas, a subsidiary of KazMunayGas. They said they were fired because their company lost the bid. The protesters spent the night and the whole day outside. On April 11, police detained over 120 protesters.

KazMunayGas said on Wednesday that all former workers of BerAli Mangistau Company, detained in Astana, were released from custody and took a train back to Zhanaozen. Only a group of five workers stayed in Astana to continue the negotiations.

KMG reaffirmed that the negotiation process with the ex-employees of BerAli Mangistau was ongoing.

In addition, KMG pledged that the sacked workers of BerAli will be employed by the company that won the bid and they will enjoy the same wages and social benefits they had before.