…Threatens shutdown
A group known as Concerned Landlords of Swamp and Land Areas Operation of the Nigerian Agip Oil Company (NAOC) has petitioned Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State over alleged lopsided appointments by the firm to the detriment of host communities in the state.
The group called on the Governor to set up a high powered panel of inquiry into the said appointments and marginalization in all communities where the company has its operations.
Director General of the group, Onisoya Odum who stated this during a press conference in Port Harcourt, River State on Friday said key positions in the company were given to non-indigenes, even when they don’t have the requisite qualifications, saying the situation was tantamount to ethnic cleansing.
Odum further allege, “The millions of dollars being siphoned through huge operational contracts under this scheme might be used in sponsoring the activities of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) in the Niger Delta states particularly, Rivers, Bayelsa and Delta states where the company predominantly has its operations.”
He said about 23 indigenes of Rivers and Bayelsa states in high positions in the company were either sacked or relegated and replaced by people outside their host communities who he said now call the shots in the administrative and sensitive departments of the company to the detriment of the region.
The DG of landlords and swamp areas of NAOC threatened that except the ongoing alleged ‘ethnic cleansing’ in the company stops and the indigenous people particularly from Rivers, Bayelsa and Delta states are immediately reinstated, they will not hesitate to occupy all the operational bases of the oil and gas company.
“We will not fail to mobilize ourselves to shut down NAOC operations if our voice is not heard”, adding that the Nigerian government should realize that it is facing another turn of recession and the situation would be worse if any of the oil companies stops remitting royalty to the government when its operation is stopped,” he stated.
Efforts to reach the Community Relations Manager of NAOC), Denis Maxi was unsuccessful as he neither picked calls put across to his mobile by our correspondent not replied a text message sent to him at the time of filing this report.
