The core communities hosting ExxonMobil crude oil
exploration and exploitation operations in Akwa Ibom State are demanding the
relocation of the company’s headquarters from Lagos to Eket...
while also seeking
the speedy implementation of various Memoranda of Understandings, MoU, between
the oil firm and the communities. A communique issued by the communities under
the aegis of Akwa Ibom State ExxonMobil Core Communities, yesterday, faulted
the continuous citing of ExxonMobil headquarters in Lagos as being inimical to
efforts to hire locals and also get indigenous contractors to effectively
participate in the award of contracts as demanded by the Nigerian content act.
According to the communique, “ExxonMobil has treated with outright disregard
the provisions of the local content law as applicable in Nigeria and we have
observed with utmost dismay that Mobil Producing Nigeria Unlimited has over the
time showcased very bad, dismal and provocative community relations in its
dealings with its immediate host communities and Akwa Ibom State at large. “The
company has treated with levity the agreement entered into with them, the
immediate host communities and Akwa Ibom State with reckless abandonment.
Notably among such agreement is the MoU they entered into with the host
communities. “Therefore, after a careful investigation into the activities of
Mobil Producing Nigeria Unlimited as regards their attitude toward their
immediate host communities and Akwa Ibom State, we seek among other things the
immediate relocation of the headquarters to its operational area (Eket Federal
Constituency). “We also demand a review of MoU, between Mobil Producing Nigeria
Unlimited and its core communities as well as full publication and integration
of communities based contractors/vendors into the ongoing Qua Iboe Terminal,
QIT, Power Distribution Upgrade, QPDUP, Project.” “We also call for the
employment of indigenes of core communities into managerial and directorship
positions and the provision and implementation of guidelines for enrollment and
recruitment of the core communities’ indigenes into Mobil Technical Training
School. “We are also demanding compensation of Communities for environmental
pollution / degradation by oil spills, gas flaring, operational noise and hazards
and the empowerment of youths.”
No comments: