.As NDDC inspects ongoing skills acquisition, empowerment training in Rivers
AKOR SYLVESTER, Abuja
The Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) has expressed worry over what it described as continuous discriminatory practices, unfair treatment, victimisation slammed on Nigerian workers by the management of India oil company (Sterling oil and gas) in Nigeria.
President of PENGASSAN, Festus Osifo who briefed newsmen on the issues faced by Nigerian workers in the company in Abuja Tuesday, said over 10,000 Indian Expatriates were doing the oil and gas jobs that Nigerians are qualified to do in the company in Nigerian soil.
He also condemned in strong terms, the sacking of 18 Nigerian workers of Sterling company over demands bothering on their welfare, urging the company to immediately reinstate the workers.
Osifo said Nigerians can not be conquered in their own country, stating that companies that do not have regard for expatriate quota system law should not be allowed to operate in the country.
The PENGASSAN president said the union will continue to engage the company until it begins to do the right thing, maintaining that Nigerians must take their positions in the company.
He further warned that if the company fails to meet the demands of the union which include, reinstatement of the sacked workers, allowing Nigerian workers to work in all sections of the company, addressing welfare issues and others, the association will declare national strike.
Osifo said: “This press conference was called as a continuation of the struggle that we started last week regarding sterling oil. Sterling Oil Energy Exploration and Production Company is one company that has operated in Nigeria for quite a while.
“They have been bringing in all manner of people to work in Nigeria in contravention of our laws and in violation of our regulations. So it is based on this that we brought the issues before the NEC of PENGASAN, sometimes in January and we resolved that we are going to do everything humanly possible to ensure that sterling complies with our laws, complies with the regulations. Because, all we’ve said is that if other companies sre complying with our laws, complying with our regulations, sterling cannot be an exception.
Sterling cannot be bigger than Nigeria. Sterling management cannot be bigger than Nigeria. As we have highlighted last week and we strongly believe in this, we know that that is exactly what is happening.
“We have said last week that as of today, we have over 10,000 Indians that are working in stealing. and the majority of these people, are doing middle and low level jobs. These are jobs that Nigerians should do.
“Today we have Nigerians littering the streets.These are the jobs that they should be doing. But instead, we have Indians doing these jobs.
“In fact, today is Tuesday. Every Tuesday, you have between 200 to 500 Indians that come into Nigeria and the other going out on time off. All we have asked is that, who is culpable? Why are Nigerian institutions not acting? Why are the ministries not acting? Why is government docile? Why are they allowing sterling to be flagrantly abusing our laws? Why would they allow these Indian companies to do what so ever they like in Nigeria, which they cannot do in their country? So Congress, this is one of the issues that we have highlighted last week.
“And if you break this down much more, you are going to discover that jobs such as welders, jobs such as vulcanizers, jobs such as gate men, jobs such as cooks, jobs such as communication, jobs such as panel operators are all carried out by Indians. If you go to the other houses, you can see that the Indian to Nigerian ratio is less than 2%, in some cases not more than 5% in some cases, most especially in the upper management. But because they are the shareholders, we cannot say that they will not have a representative in Nigeria at all.
“So in the upper management, in most of these companies, you have up to 5% of those managing those strategic positions as the investors. But a situation where you have the entire operations manned by Indians, is not fair. In fact, most of these people are not even qualified. Most of them have secondary school certificates, but they deny qualified Nigerians for the jobs.
“In a country where people are looking for jobs, in a country where the unemployment rate is continuously on the upward trajectory, we said no to this. So for us, we said no, no, no, we will never accept this anymore. So since last week, we’ve been trying to do a lot of advocacy around this.
“And other issue as well is that, NYU said they sacked 18 of our members because they were asking questions about their CVA. They were asking questions about their welfare. They were asking questions about their growth in the organization. They were asking questions about training that should be offered to them. But instead of attending to these issues, 18 of them, were sacrificed.
“So for us, this is equally unacceptable. And again, staying over the years, we’ve also seen that they have prevented a succession of the workforce from unionization. What they said was a manpower contract.
“They have frustrated them. They have prevented them from joining the union. We have reported to the Ministry of Labor and Employment.
“And sometime in 2022, we were before the Ministry of Labour and Employment. But unfortunately, the then minister asked the director of labour laws to act. When she said no, I’m going to look at this again, eventually she was transferred from federal ministry of labour to the head of service office.
“So clearly, they have told us before that they have compromised everybody. They have told us before that they have institutions in their pocket. And as such, nothing would happen.
“But we have told them that no, we cannot be conquered in our land. We have told them that no, this is Nigeria. You must obey our laws.
“We will push you until you do the needful. Solidarity! So clearly, as part of the struggle, if you look at the NCBNB Act, you are going to discover that in the NCBNB Act, in the sections that are bordering on local content, you will see the clear violation that Sterling has committed. If you look at section 35 of the NCBNB Act, it is clearly stated that all operators and companies operating in the Nigerian oil and gas industry shall employ only Nigerians in their junior and intermediate cadre or any other corresponding grades designated by the operator or the company.
“Is this law not clear? It is very, very clear. It is unambiguous. And all other companies are operating within this rule except Sterling.
“And again, if you also look at section 32 of the same Act, it clearly stated that for each of the operations, an operator or project promoter may retain a maximum of 5% of management positions as may be approved by the board as expatriate positions to take care of investors’ interests. How many percent? 5%. But today, Sterling has 100%.
“The law says 5%, very clear. But today, Sterling has 100%. The entire management structure of Sterling is manned by Indians.
“But when you come to other companies, when you come to other IOCs, you will see, even in some cases, the managing directors of these companies, they are what? They are Nigerians. So what is special that Sterling is doing that others are not doing? Like I said, the IOCs combined, children of this world, Total Energies, ExxonMobil, Agip, but now they are not the one group, they combined, they are producing about 90% of our crude production.
“About 90%. So if these people that are producing about 90% of our crude production could obey the law, if they could act within the rules of engagement, why would Sterling be acting differently? Why suddenly the institutions that should check them, are on both sides? The institutions that should look at what they are doing, are on both sides?” he said.
Highlighting on the number of Indians that are working with the company, Osifo said: “What they do is this. They would open different companies, over 200 or 300 different companies. They would bring people in, sections, using these companies and using them to approach the Ministry of Interior to get approvals.
“In most times, they will even lie that these people are going to work in some other operations but they will all end up in carrying out oil and gas activities”.
Informing that the union will have a meeting with NUPRC on the issues, the PENGASSSN president said, “they are inviting us for a meeting by 3 p.m. today. We will be going for that meeting. W will tell them clearly that sterling must do what is right. They must do what is right, we are dedicated, we believe in this struggle, and we will see it to the end”.
.As NDDC inspects ongoing skills acquisition, empowerment training in Rivers
However, the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, has expressed satisfaction with the ongoing training of 1000 persons from the Niger Delta Region in different skills, by a non governmental organization, the Victorious Prayer Network, (aka, King Makers Ministries).
The 1000 persons comprising of youths, teenagers, men and women, including widows and pastors are being trained in different skills such as; catering, tailoring, barbing, Information Communication Technology (ICT), hairdressing, electricals, video and photography, beed and gele making, shoe making, production of izal, liquid soap and detergent, perfume, etc.
The NDDC’s Director of Skills Development, Barr. Lyna Okara, who spoke during a surprise visit to the skill acquisition training centre in Port Harcourt, Rivers State to inspect the NDDC funded skill acquisition and empowerment programme, commended the organisation led by Prophetess Mrs. Victoria Ebi Agori, for doing a great job.
Okara, represented by the Directorate of Commercial and Industrial Development, at the NDDC, Mr. Anderson Ukeh, after inspecting all the departments at the training centre, said the NDDC under the leadership of Chiedu Ebie as Board Chairman, and Dr. Samuel Ogbuku as Managing Director, is committed to human capacity development, empowerment of young ones, development of the Niger Delta region and changing the narratives at the Commission.
She said, “We are from the department of CID Skills Acquisition in the NDDC. We are here to see what you have, see what you are doing here and to also see how we can go with your centre.
“We are very excited with what is happening here and we are happy seeing that you people are very serious to acquire many skills.
“In the world today, we are in a time when skills can put enough food on our table, if you have skills you won’t go hungry. Regardless of your educational background, you are still encouraged to acquire skills because it is something that will keep you going everyday.
“So, we are very encouraged with what you are doing at this training centre,” Okara said.
Speaking, founder of the Victorious Prayer Network, Prophetess Mrs. Victoria Ebi Agori expressed delight with the visit and NDDC’s contribution towards youth empowerment and development in the Niger Delta region.
Prophetess Agori specifically thanked the NDDC MD, Samuel Ogbuku and the Dr. Lyna Okara for his good work, and for partnering with the Victorious Prayer Network in the 3 months skills acquisition programme, which according to her is the second edition.
Prophetess Agori, who is also the Founder of United Izon Tare-Ogbo International, renewed calls on President Bola Tinubu to ignore those calling for the removal of Dr. Ogbuku as the NDDC MD, describing them as enemies of Niger Delta Region who do not mean well for it.
She noted that Ogbuku has shown great commitment and dedication to the development of the Niger Delta region and her citizens.
Agori also commended President Tinubu for the appointment of Dr Ogbuku and for allowing him to complete his tenure as Managing Director of the NDDC.
She recalled how her organisation and other Niger Delta women prayed and protested against the forces that wanted Ogbuku removed from office.
“Two weeks ago, we gathered here with other Niger Delta women to pray for the MD, we know that some persons want him out of office, but their plans will not work, it will continue to fail.
“Chief Ogbuku is doing well, he is a God sent to the people of Niger Delta. Look at this skills acquisition programme here, its being sponsored by the MD and the NDDC. We have 1000 widows, orphans, pastors and others as beneficiaries.
“There are also many other laudable projects which include; youth empowerment programmes, human capacity building and infrastructural developments and installation of solar powered street lights and solar powered water projects across the region, all these are courtesy of Dr Ogbuku and the NDDC.
Continuing, Mrs. Agori also said God gave her a prophetic message for President Bola Tinubu ahead of 2027 election, hinting that President Tinubu will be returned for another tenure in 2027.
She said, “It seems that there is a force in that NDDC, that even when the MD is doing perfectly well, people will still be seeing bad from the their good, and they will start calling for his sack. That has made it impossible for anyone to ever complete his complete tenure.
“But today, God has used our President, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu to break that yoke by allowing Chief Samuel Ogbuku to complete his tenure as MD, yet some people are not happy and they are making themselves available for the devil to use to fight what God has approved.”
Agori added that; “While we were still in the prayer, God spoke, saying that our father, President Bola Tinubu, because he was used as instrument to break that yoke in NDDC that Ogbuku will be the first to complete his tenure, despite all Nigerians are saying, Asiwaju will be returned as president in 2027, he will complete his 8 years in office as President of Nigeria.”
For a better society
Follow us across our platforms:
Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/championnewsonline/
Facebook – https://web.facebook.com/championnewsonline
LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/company/champion-newspapers-limited/
https://x.com/championnewsng/
You can also like and comment on our YouTube videos.
https://youtu.be/QIBfD1tT80w?si=R4Qf3so2LxYu3GC2
