A labour union, Nigerian Welders and Fitters Association (NWFA), has shut down Ogini Oil field in Isoko North local government area of Delta State operated by Sterling Global over non-compliance with indigenisation law and local content policy.
The protesters from the NWFA, in their hundreds, accused the management of Sterling Global of neglect especially the engagement of Indian welders and filters while abandoning the locals.
They called on President Bola Tinubu and Governor Sheriff Oborevwori to quickly call to order the management of Sterling Global Company to repatriate the Indian welders, fitters and helpers back to their country to maintain the existing industrial harmony in the state.
The protesters carried placards bearing various inscriptions including, “lndian Welders/ Fitters Must Go”, “Sterling Global Must Stop Telling Lies’” ” Obey Nigerian Local Content Recruitment Law,” among others,
The chairman of NWFA Zone B, Delta State, Comrade Eseoghene Odima and the chairman, Delta State Fitters Senior Staff Association of Nigerian (FISSAN), Comrade Friday Atiemoh, flanked by the National NWFA PRO, Comrade Thomas Mebuliaghanje, FISSAN national Secretary, Comrade Morrister Udibra and other top officials of both professional bodies, warned that except Sterling Global stops welding operations with the Indian Welders and Fitters and employ them to do the job, they would do everything within the ambit of the law to crumble the firm’s pipeline-laying jobs in the Isoko axis of Delta State.
„We have enough qualified welders and fitters to do the job which the Indians are doing. We have done similar major welding and fitting jobs for various firms in the country.
„Sterling Global is disregarding the extant law of local content in the country which empowers community and catchment areas to provide 60 per cent workforce and company 40 per cent workforce.
“The local content law of the company’s 60 per cent workforce recruitment slot is for Nigerians and not foreigners, except on specialty areas where the country cannot field such personnel(s),” they said.
At the time of filing this report, no staff of Sterling Global was willing to address the protesters at the company’s site.
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