Itsekiri of the Omadino community in Warri South, Warri South-West, and Warri North local government areas of Delta State have petitioned President Bola Tinubu over an alleged inimical ongoing recruitment policy by Chevron Nigeria Ltd. (NLC).
The people accused CNL of “carrying out an employment exercise under a policy that is inimical to the interest of the Itsekiri Nation host communities, especially Omadino.”
In the letter dated October 11, 2024, and made available to newsmen on Sunday, the Omadino community, through their Chairman and Secretary, Mr Tuoyo Mogbeyiteren and Mr Benjamin Akoreh, noted: “This petition is informed by the fact that our community has written a series of letters to Chevron Nigeria Limited without any response on the grave marginalisation of Omadino in the areas of employment and contracts in the Chevron operation.”
The community averred: “The total 6 oil fields that constitute the operational onshore leases of CNL, of which 2 (Uton Nana and Makaraba fields) are hosted by Omadino community, making her the host community of approximately 40% of CNL’s onshore operations.
“Despite being a major stakeholder in the operations of CNL, coupled with a long and uninterrupted period of ensuring an enabling environment for her operations in our land, CNL has only repaid our civilised gesture with outright disregard towards our welfare and genuine interests in a number of ways.
“In the area of employment, CNL has practically relegated our people to the backwaters and has continually adopted strategies that have made it possible for her to employ people from outside the host communities, that is the Omadino Community.
“We have observed over the years that it is Chevron’s management policy to surreptitiously smuggle in their preferred candidates on the pretence of equal opportunity, without total regard for qualified and competent hands within our community.
“A case in hand is the ongoing recruitment exercise being embarked upon by CNL, which, by all indications, is designed to go the same way as previous similar exercises, which completely robbed our people of opportunities to participate in the economic activities that are carried out within their own God-given land.
“In terms of contract awards, Chevron Nigeria Limited does not consider any of our qualified local contractors fit for any contracts as they have deliberately denied us contract opportunities in their operations.
“It is instructive to state that we have competent and qualified Indigenous contractors within our community that can execute any contract in Chevron operations. Again, this also has a heavy toll on the quality of life of our people.
“Your Excellency, sir, so far in the history of the Niger Delta, violence has sharpened many aspects of our lives and has also, in many instances, robbed the Nigerian State of benefits that are supposed to be due to her.
“Unfortunately, we are now very near to that mode of operations again, as the activities of CNL have caused our people great frustration to the extent that they are now beginning to accept the idea that violence is a veritable tool for achieving their aims if the same will not be achieved through civilised means. Our people are restive.
“We desperately urge you to use your good office and prevail on the management of CNL to address our very firm demand that CNL should, as a matter of corporate responsibility, set aside a reasonable percentage of employment opportunities for our people in line with relevant provisions of the Local Content Law.
“It’s, therefore, our demand that provisions should be made for the Itsekiri host nation in Chevron areas of operations as it relates to employment and award of contracts enumerated above.
“We also state strongly that Chevron Nigeria Limited is presently carrying out an employment exercise under a policy that is inimical to the interest of the Itsekiri Nation host communities, especially the Omadino Community.
“This issue must be addressed, and Omadino Community should be given their due and appropriate percentage/quota in the ongoing employment to curb the injustice meted out to Omadino Community.”
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