Miffed by the alleged deliberate marginalisation by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Ltd (NNPCL) and its Joint Venture partners, Itsekiri ethnic nationality has decried the development and forwarded a nine-point demand to President Bola Tinubu.
A representative of the Olu of Warri Palace/Liaison to NNPCL, Collins Oritsetimeyin Edema, who addressed a world press conference in Warri, decried the perceived gross marginalization, neglect and somewhat punishment of the Itsekiri nation by NNPCL and its subsidiaries and Joint Venture partners.
The Olu of Warri’s representative addressed the world press conference alongside the President of National Association of Itsekiri Graduates (NAIG), Comrade Ben Eyitemi Eburajolo, the Assistant Coordinator of Itsekiri Environmental Protection Initiative, Ofogharenor Tanro Maris and other Itsekiri Rights’ activists.
Edema, on behalf of the Itsekiri nation, called on President Tinubu to immediately address the lopsidedness against Itsekiri nation by meeting the nine-point demand and not take the people for granted.
He noted that the demands tabled before President Tinubu wouldn’t be the last phase of the struggle to re-right the wrongs against the Itsekiri nation by the NNPCL and its subsidiaries.
Edema, who reeled out copious instances of marginalisation of the Itsekiri by the oil and gas companies plying their trade in their land, urged President Tinubu to address the demands as stated below:
“We call on the President and Commander-In-Chief, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who doubles as the Minister of Petroleum Resources to help prevail on the management of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) led by the Group Chief Executive Officer Malam Mele Kyari to give special considerations to the Itsekiri People in terms of employment (even beyond what is captured in the Nigerian Oil, and Gas Industry Content Dev. Act 2010) both in the NNPCL, its subsidiaries like the NUPRC, NAPIMS, NMDPRA, NGIC, NGMC, NNPC E & P, WRPC, etc, and JV partners operating in Itsekiri homeland like Chevron Nigeria Limited, SPDC, ND Western, Conoil, Seplat, Neconde, Heritage Oil, etc. This has become necessary because as at today, the Itsekiri graduates have the lowest employability rate compared to other ethnic groups in Nigeria, despite being amongst the best.
“We call on the President and Commander-In-Chief, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who doubles as the Minister of Petroleum Resources to issue an executive order to NNPCL and JV partners concerning employment of indigenes of Host Communities by specifying a particular percentage (60%) be given by the “project promoter” to those whose areas the “project” is located.
“We wish to call on President and Commander-In-Chief, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who doubles as the Minister of Petroleum Resources to call the Managing Director of Chevron Nigeria Limited to order, especially concerning the recent bogus service contract employment currently brewing unrest within their area of operations, and for recruitment concerning “project aurora” so as to forestall any breakdown of law and order.
“We call on the President and Commander-In-Chief, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who doubles as the Minister of Petroleum Resources, to order the immediate relocation of the Operational Headquarters of Chevron Nigeria Limited (CNL) to Warri or Escravos. This will help to boost host community confidence in the operations of CNL and deepen peaceful existence between the company and her host communities.
“We wish to call on the President and Commander-In-Chief, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who doubles as the Minister of Petroleum Resources to prevail on the NNPCL (through the NNPC Foundation)/JV Partners to give special consideration to Itsekiri Oil bearing Communities in terms of CSR projects especially in the provision of health care (to save our pregnant women), portable drinking water, and electricity.
“We wish to call on the President and Commander-In-Chief, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who doubles as the Minister of Petroleum Resources, to declare a ‘state of emergency’ in Itsekiri Oil Producing Communities like Ugborodo, Orere, Ogheye, Ekekporo whose land has been swept under the ocean due to recurrent sea surge (occasioned by climate change associated with crude oil exploration), and begin shoreline protection projects to forestall indigenes of these communities being swept into the sea especially as we approach another raining season.
“We wish to call on the President and Commander-In-Chief, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who doubles as the Minister of Petroleum Resources to direct the NNPCL (especially through the NNPC Foundation) and JV Partners to build or renovate, and fully equip Primary and Secondary Schools in our Communities. This includes building a Staff quarters as well.
“We wish to call on the President and Commander-In-Chief, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who doubles as the Minister of Petroleum Resources to direct the NNPCL to address the lopsidedness associated with contract awards in projects being executed in Itsekiri homeland by the NNPCL, its subsidiaries, and JV partners as seen with the recent renewal of the pipeline surveillance contract where the Itsekiri Nation has been shortchanged. The NNPCL has continuously disregarded the local content act as it relates to awarding contracts to Itsekiri owned businesses in our homeland.
“We wish to call on the President and Commander-In-Chief, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, who doubles as the Minister of Petroleum Resources to direct the NNPCL to give Itsekiri owned businesses ‘special priority in the award and allocation of Oil Mining Licenses in the next opportunity. This will go a long way in making us have a sense of belonging in the Oil wealth God almighty has graciously deposited in our homeland.”
On his part, the President of NAIG, Comrade Eburajolo, who also addressed the media, vowed to make sure Chevron Nigeria Ltd complies with the 60 per cent employment quota for Itsekiri in its ongoing alleged secret employment of 300 direct staff.
The Assistant Coordinator of Itsekiri Environmental Protection Initiative, Ofogharenor Tanro Maris, also pledged to sustain the struggle to salvage Itsekiri riverine communities from ocean surge.