Niger Delta Community Petitions Tinubu Over Chevron’s Recruitment Policy

Sylvester Idowu in Warri 

The Omadino community in Warri South, Warri South-West and Warri North Local Government Areas of Delta State has petitioned President Bola Tinubu alleging that Chevron Nigeria Limited (CNL) is “carrying out an employment exercise, under a policy that is inimical to the interest of the Itsekiri Nation host communities, especially Omadino”.

In the petition dated October 11, 2024 and  signed by the community’s Chairman and Secretary, Mr. Tuoyo Mogbeyiteren and Mr. Benjamin Akoreh respectively, it noted that the latest petition was informed by the fact that it had written several letters to Chevron Nigeria Limited without any response on the grave marginalisation of Omadino in the areas of employment and contracts in the firm’s operations.

“The six oil fields that constitute the operational onshore leases of CNL of which two (Uton Nana and Makaraba fields) are hosted by Omadino community, makes her the host community of approximately 40 per cent of CNL’s onshore operations.

“Despite being a major stakeholder in the operations of CNL, coupled with a long and uninterrupted period of ensuring an enabling environment for her operations in our land, CNL has only repaid our civilized gesture with outright disregard towards our welfare and genuine interests in a number of ways,” the petition stated.

In the area of employment, the community lamented that CNL has practically relegated its people to the back waters, and has continually adopted strategies that have made it possible for her to employ people from outside the host community.

“We have observed over the years that it is Chevron’s management policy to surreptitiously smuggle in their preferred candidates on the pretence of equal opportunity, without regard for qualify and competent hands within our community.

“A case in hand is the ongoing recruitment exercise being embarked upon by CNL, which, by all indications is designed to go the same way as previous similar exercises, which completely robbed our people of opportunities to participate in the economic activities that are carried out within their own God given land,” it alleged.

In terms of contract awards, Omadino community alleged that Chevron does not consider any of its qualified local contractors fit for any contracts, adding that the company deliberately denied indigenous contractors opportunities in their operations.

It maintained that there are competent and qualified indigenous contractors within community that can execute any contract in Chevron operations, but the company prefers outsiders.

“Your Excellency, sir, so far in the history of the Niger Delta, violence has sharpened many aspects of our lives, and has also in many instances robbed the Nigerian state of benefits that are supposed to be due to her.

“Unfortunately, we are now very near to that mode of operations again as the activities of CNL have caused our people great frustration to the extent that they are now beginning to accept the idea that violence is a veritable tool for achieving their aims if same will not be achieved through civilized means. Our people are restive.

“We desperately urge you to use your good office and prevail on the management of CNL to address our very firm demand that CNL should, as a matter of corporate responsibility, set aside a reasonable percentage of employment opportunities for our people in line with relevant provisions of the Local Content Law. It’s, therefore, our demand that provisions should be made for the Itsekiri, host nation in Chevron areas of operations as it relates to employment and award of contract enumerated above.

“This issue must be addressed and Omadino community should be given their due and appropriate percentage/quota in the ongoing employment to curb the injustice been meted out on Omadino community,” it added.