Tuesday, 22 May 2012
Akwa Ibom Communities Occupy Septa Energy Over Unfair Labour Practices
Community women occupy Septa Energy
Over 1,000 persons from Edo communities in Esit Eket, Akwa Ibom, occupied the entrance to the Central Gas Processing Facility under construction by Septa Energy to press home their complaints of discriminatory labour practices against indigenes of the area.
They disrupted construction activities, Thursday, at the Uquo Marginal oil fields over violations of existing agreements. The protesters, carrying placards, were comprised of women, youths and elders from the Edo community. Singing and drumming, they urged the oil firm to honor its obligations to community development.
The women took over the gates and set up their cooking pots while others carried a symbolic cassava stick depicting poor yield as a result of oil and gas exploration and production.
Representatives of the community told Sahara Reporters they were protesting the company’s non compliance with a Memorandum of Understanding agreed between the operators of the marginal oil field with them.
Mrs Grace Akpata, an organizer, said that the women were disappointed that officials of Septa Energy declined to honour its promises to them at a meeting in December 2011.
“We are disappointed by the gross insensitivity of Septa Energy and its project contractors. We are not asking for something out of place, we are simply demanding an implementation of an existing MOU with this community.
“It is unfortunate that an organisation can renege on honouring its social obligations to its host communities,” Akpata said
Sahara Reporter sighted teams of armed security men deployed to frighten and intimidate those in the area.
Henry Ekong, Akwa Ibom Chapter Chairman of Association of Erectors, Riggers and Scaffolders of Nigeria said that the association opposed the violation of the operational area quota.
“I am part of the Riggers, erectors and scaffolders of Nigeria. We are a trade union today gathered here in front of the central processing facility to express our grievances over what the companies are doing to the trade union.
“They are even bringing foreigners to do the jobs reserved for Nigerians under the Labour Act and in total violation of expatriate quotas.
“The MOU stipulated that our youths should partake fully up to 60 to 70 per cent of this project in the skilled and semi skilled categories of manpower but that is not happening.
“And today we have discovered that the youths are not represented up to 20 percent. We are not happy, we need a redress, we need a head count of all workers in the CPF, so that we know exactly who has been cleared by the community and who has not been cleared,” Ekong stated
Officials of ALCON, the construction firm handling the project could not be reached for comments as they were said to have withdrawn from the project site.
Construction Manager of ALCON, Mr Flavio Grosso could not be reached as he switched off his mobile phone.
Chief Umoh Udobia, Chairman of Uquo Marginal Field Development Board said that officials of Septa Energy had prevailed on him to appeal to the crowd to maintain the peace as Management of the firm has agreed to meet with community representatives at a hotel in Eket.
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Solution to CPF crisis by Ekid Sons
Submitted by Henry Ekong (not verified) on February 26, 2012 - 14:11.
Adherence to MOU provisions thro the prestigious UFDB with close emphasis on Govt stakeholders like the Trade Union.
Riggers, Erectors & SCaffolders Chairman
What Septa Energy must do to ensure peace at CPF Edo.
Submitted by Henry Ekong (not verified) on February 21, 2012 - 14:40.
1. Septa Energy must rise to its responsibility of monitoring and ensuring strict compliance to the provisions of the MOU through the functional machinery of the Prestigious UFDB
2. All industrial stakeholders like the various Trade Union and professional Associations must be given fair participatory right.
3. The UFDB must also adhere to the provisions of the just drawn twenty points communique, giving no room for further compromise
Henry Ekong
State Chairman Association of Erectors, Riggers and Scaffolders of Nigeria AERSON.
PROTEST OVER NON IMPLEMENTATION OF MoU
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on February 13, 2012 - 15:08.
I appreciate the peaceful protest of the people. The protest is an indi8cation of early warning signs of a bigger conflict. Hope the parties concerned will address all the underlying issues before the conflict turn violent in the interest of all concerned. We in CPDA, Akwa Ibom, do not support violence.
Thanks
septa we need what rightfully belongs 2 us
Submitted by kufsampson (not verified) on February 10, 2012 - 22:05.
We donated land 4 cpf project and septa energy is saying we sold our land outright 2 them.How can a company who wants 2 xplore oil as well as refine oil buys land outright from d owners?we the people of Idung Okpudo Edo,Akpambiet Edo and Ikot Eyo Edo donated our land 2 frontier/septa energy and we have not gotten any benefit from these two companies.Anytime we ask for what belongs 2 us as d immediate host communities the company would end up saying that we sold our land &should not xpect anything from d company.But the company politicised MOU clearly states that we d immediate host communities are entitle to 32% of employments,supplies and contracts but we have never gotten even 1%.Pls send our 32% entitlements directly 2 d land owner so that peace will reign at cpf.
Phillip Ihenacho, Executive
Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on February 10, 2012 - 11:58.
Phillip Ihenacho, Executive Chairman of Seven Energy the owner of Septa Energy is this how you were thought in Harvard,Yale and Mckinsey to treat your people.I am worried with the Nigerian Elites especially the well educated ones who drain the resources of the country and refuse to comply with a simple agreement with the people who owns these resources.would you do this in Canada.
The way to go
Submitted by Emeka K Duru (not verified) on February 10, 2012 - 11:19.
The civil society should back this movement. This is the beginning of the liberation of mind and soul.Up up.
Even when the issue of
Submitted by Profidada (not verified) on February 10, 2012 - 10:54.
Even when the issue of kidnapping of foreign oil workers was at its peak i was suprised to still find these idiots in the creeks. The fact is that they have refused to go back to their respective countries, you see them engaging in one minia job or the other. Jobs which ordinarily should have been left for the locals. And the annoying thing is that you see confused nigerians flooding the embassies of these idiots seeking for visas thinking they can find greener pastures abroad. At the end of the day they are greeted with that same hardship that drove them out from nigeria. As a result they resorted to all forms of social vices that are inimical to the society. Of course their host countries are equally prepared to deal with these nigerians.
SR-- reportage is biased
Submitted by Mike Tai (not verified) on February 10, 2012 - 08:30.
"The women took over the gates and set up their cooking pots while others carried a symbolic cassava stick depicting poor yield as a result of oil and gas exploration and production."
SR pls learn to report correctly. For ur info, there is no production activity going on there. U just go on air to do ur usual - Blow the Alarm. Pity, u have deviated from what u used to be known for: Investigative journalism. I am disappointed in SR.
Thank You Nigerians
Submitted by Adedayo (not verified) on February 10, 2012 - 04:48.
I'm happy to finally see Nigerians starting to put their future in their own hands. Anybody/organisation that refuses to listen to the people should be harassed. If it requires violence, so be it. Violence is the only language Nigerian govt and their demonic collaborators understand. I doubt if a policeman would harass any driver in Onitsha anytime soon.
the right to own what is foound on the ground-is a must
Submitted by deri (not verified) on February 9, 2012 - 23:56.
That is why we need to control our God given resources. The people residing within the oil bearing areas of the south south are never favoured in the areas of employment in the oil industry. Because of what the claim by some that the gas and oil belongs to them-to what they describe as the commonwealth-their commonwealth--I laugh-unware that they are sitting on a keg of gun powder--the story is the same all over the oil pproducing enclaves of the south south.
