By Nelson Utip
The government of Akwa Ibom State has issued a warning to Sterling Global Petrochemical Company, a foreign oil prospecting firm operating in Ikot Abasi, Mkpat Enin and Eastern Obollo local government areas of the state, over reported cases of maltreatment of indigenous workers in the company, mandating the company to present the status of all the people working on its projects in the state including the expatriates or risk licence and land revocation.
Chief Assam Assam, The Director General of Government Business who was a one time Nigeria’s Ambassador to Russia and the Belarus and the Chairman of the mediation committee between the oil firm and the affected communities stated this on Monday as a reaction to the allegations of flagrant disrespect and non-compliance to rules of engagement of workers by the company.
Assam warned against the engagement of the services of workers from Akwa Ibom State without fulfilling the globally accepted conditions of employment in the public or private sectors.
He frowned at the reported insensitivity of the firm in their dealings with the people, and their resort to intimidation using the military, he noted that the government will not tolerate any act that reduces the status of the Akwa Ibom people to second class citizens.
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“Sterling Global ought to learn from the labour friendly disposition of Governor Umo Eno, and be a good corporate citizen of the state, failure of which the State Government will revoke the land given to the company to operate in Akwa Ibom State.
“We cannot accept this in any part of Akwa Ibom State. You cannot reduce our people to slaves in their land. We must see the nominal roll of your employees. We must know exactly what you are doing so that people will not import arms into our State in the name of bringing in machines and equipment.
“So failure to deliver on these demands we will revoke all the licenses that have been given to you. We will revoke all the lands that have been given to you by Akwa Ibom state government. And we will stop all expatriates who you cannot identify working within your facility. We don’t want people to import arms into our communities.”Assam said.
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According to The Commissioner for Labour and Productivity, Mr Aniefiok Nkom Sterling Global has shown great irresponsibility in its operations, with total disregard to court orders and turning down invitations by the State Government to mediate in the lingering issues.
On his part, The Executive Chairman, Akwa Ibom State Internal Revenue Service, Mr Okon Okon disclosed that Sterling Global has evaded tax as they neither pay tenement tax nor PAYE tax to the State Government as their operations are shrouded in secrecy.
Transition Committee Chairmen of Ikot Abasi, Mkpat Enin and Eastern Obolo LGAs mourned the agony Sterling Global has thrown their people into while commending The State Government for coming to their rescue, as the situation was becoming unbearable and lethal.
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` The Human Resource Manager, Sterling Global Ltd, Mr David Walker, could not provide the list of the staff working for the company when it was demanded by The committee but gave a figure of 3710 as numbers of workers in their payroll. While presenting the company’s conditions of service, he said;
“These are the conditions of service that we use for the category of people working presently on the project.” He however accepted the fact that the document only applies to indigenous workers and did not include expatriates.
