Bayelsa Begs as Daewoo Threatens to Quit N’Delta

Emmanuel Addeh in Yenagoa

The Bayelsa State Government has pleaded with Daewoo Engineering and Construction Company Limited, one of the firms operating in the Niger Delta, not to make good its threat  to quit the region.

The company which cited severe “constraints and challenges” as reasons for wanting to leave the state, noted that by June this year, if nothing was done about the situation, the management would be left with no choice than to shut down operations.

But the government which made a passionate appeal yesterday through its state Partnership Agency, called on the management of the construction firm  to approach its help desk for a resolution to its problems instead of planning to leave.

It noted that this would enable the government appraise their

challenges and proffer solutions that would improve the company’s operations.

Director-General of the Agency, Mr. Stanley Braboke, who visited the State Project  Manager of Daewoo Operations in Yenagoa, Mr Nak Choi, told the management that security had greatly improved in the state.

“The agency is delivering on its mandate to  build peace around operational areas occupied by oil multinationals,  construction firms and in the various communities in the state.

“We do not want communities, oil multinationals and construction companies to be at loggerheads with communities or be exposed to hazardous militancy  in the state” Braboke assured.

He said if the company has germane issues, the agency would act appropriately and urgently refer such matters to Governor Seriake Dickson for immediate action.

“The government is investing in educating the youths to outlaw restiveness and militancy which is due to lack of  education,” he added.

The DG advised Daewoo to send representatives to the  joint desk that would feed the agency with their concerns and not wait for problems to emanate before solving them.

While disclosing that Daewoo remits about N90 million monthly as taxes, he lauded the management for providing employment for several unemployed Bayelsans and for living up to its corporate social responsibility with their host communities.

Earlier, the state Project Manager, Mr. Choi had told the DG that the company currently engages over 300 persons from the state and also contributes to the development of over 20 communities.

Choi expressed the company’s regret that the its recurrent expenditure remains  high, noting that if Daewoo is not allowed to “operate fully” it would quit in  June.

He reminded the government that if the company shuts down operations, it would  create unemployment that could lead to insecurity as well as loss of  Internally Generated Revenue (IGR).

Meanwhile, Braboke, who also paid separate visits to  the security agencies in the state emphasised the importance of peace in the

various communities, particularly host oil communities.

He emphasised that no meaningful development would thrive in an atmosphere of anarchy, rancour and acrimony.