Group accuses Chevron of marginalisation in recruitment, threatens showdown
National Association of Itsekiri Graduates has accused oil and gas giant, Chevron Nigeria Limited, of marginalization in its recent recruitment exercise, threatening the company with “showdown.”
NAIG alleged that the oil firm employed about 300 persons “secretly, in flagrant disregard to the Nigerian Oil and Gas Industry Content Development Act, 2010.”
NAIG averred that the oil company “had conducted such large scale recruitment without publishing it in any national daily or on their official website or through a third party.”
The allegation was contained in a statement jointly signed by NAIG’s President and Secretary, Messrs Mino Esiategiwa and Ben Eyitemi Eburajolo, respectively, copies of which were made available to journalists in Warri, Delta State on Wednesday.
The group lamented that “CNL has been marginalizing the Itsekiri nation for over 30 years, since it acquired Gulf assets and expanded its operations in our land, not only in terms of employment and human capacity building, but also in terms of Corporate Social Responsibilities, as there is no medical centre/hospital built and equipped in any of the Itsekiri host communities, no electricity, portable drinking water, etc.”
Demanding that “those purportedly recently engaged by CNL be demobilised and send back immediately, while Itsekiris are called up to occupy at least 60 per cent of the alleged vacancies,” NAIG threatened the oil firm with showdown “if those mobilized for the perceived vacancies are not Itsekiri, Ijaw and Ilaje from the host communities.”
It stated that “whatever means CNL, including Project Bella, is proposing to convert contract employees to staff, Itsekiri should be considered first.”
The group lamented that “CNL has been marginalizing the Itsekiri nation for over 30 years, since it acquired Gulf assets and expanded its operations in our land, not only in terms of employment and human capacity building, but also in terms of Corporate Social Responsibilities, as there is no medical centre/hospital built and equipped in any of the Itsekiri host communities, no electricity, portable drinking water, etc.”
Demanding that “those purportedly recently engaged by CNL be demobilised and send back immediately, while Itsekiris are called up to occupy at least 60 per cent of the alleged vacancies,” NAIG threatened the oil firm with showdown “if those mobilized for the perceived vacancies are not Itsekiri, Ijaw and Ilaje from the host communities.”
It stated that “whatever means CNL, including Project Bella, is proposing to convert contract employees to staff, Itsekiri should be considered first.” Punch
