Aggrieved youths from the five oil-rich communities hosting the Seplat Energy airstrip in Eket local government area of Akwa Ibom State have staged a peaceful protest, accusing the oil and gas firm of unfair and discriminatory local content practices.
LEADERSHIP Weekend gathered that the angry youths, including graduates, resorted to public ventilation of emotions over alleged exclusion of those they described as “qualified local graduates from recent recruitment exercises.”
The demonstrators, led by different youth presidents, were drawn from Ukwa, Okopedi, Afaha Ukwa, Iko Ekwa and Afaha Ukwa Obokidim, major host communities to SEPLAT Energy Nigeria Unlimited (SEPNU).
They expressed dismay over SEPLAT Energy’s alleged hiring of 70 new employees without any slots for the indigenous host community workers.
“Despite the company’s ongoing operations in the area, the communities have been left out of job opportunities, taking our peaceful disposition for granted,” the youths said.
The youth presidents of the five village associations making up the coalition were led by Iwaad Bassey Sunday James and Prince Godwin Nkuh, armed with placards of varying inscriptions and chanting solidarity songs.
They demanded “the enforcement of Nigeria’s Local Content Act as enshrined in the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA),” which, according to them, “mandates oil and gas companies operating in the country to prioritise local manpower and contract opportunities.”
One of the protesters from Esit Eket LGA, Edigheyong Sam Edet, told our correspondent at the weekend that the peaceful protest could have been escalated but for the quick intervention of the Eket LGA chairman, Rt. Hon. Akaninyene Tommey.
“The attention of the local authorities was drawn to the protest that it might be hijacked by hoodlums which necessitated the prompt intervention of the chairman of Eket LGA, and the security agencies including Divisional Police Officer (DPO) of Eket Division, officials from the Department of State Services (DSS), the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and representatives of the Government Joint Labour Committee,” he recalled.
Chairman Tommey, who calmed the frayed nerves of the protesters, assured that their demands would be conveyed to the right quarters for the right answers that would be beneficial to all concerned.
The manager in charge of Government and Public Affairs, Mr Ogechukwu Udeagha, had two weeks ago during a maiden interface with the Akwa Ibom media community, assured that SEPNU’s entry into the state for oil and gas business would be rancour-free as everything under the new arrangement would be done between the firm and the host communities in line with international best practices.
He assured that mutually beneficial engagements of the people within the operational areas would have seamless synergy in developing the area through the Host Communities Trust Funds.
