Niger Delta Activist Forum gives Agip 14 days to recruit locals or it will shut down its facilities

MULTINATIONAL oil company Agip has been warned by a militant group called the Niger Delta Activist Forum (NDAF) that they will shut down all its facilities within 14 days unless it employs local youths from host communities.

In 2014, the Nigerian Agip Oil Company and local Niger Delta communities entered into an agreement under which the oil giant would recruit youths from the area in which it operates. Four years after the deal was signed though, none of these youths who were inducted have taken up the promised positions of junior production staff.

Incensed with the failure of Agip to honour their agreement, NDAF has warned that if it is not implemented within two weeks, they will commence a total and complete shutdown of Agip facilities in the Niger Delta. In 2014/15, Agip had conducted a recruitment exercise for junior production technicians where about 100 persons emerged successful from the host communities.

After the selection process, the successful candidates were booked for medical tests and subsequent placements but the company abruptly aborted the exercise. All entreaties from the traditional rulers, the Rivers House of Assembly and security agencies that Agip should induct the locals, have since fallen on deaf ears.

Recently, the NDAF dragged Agip before the Rivers State command of the Department of State Security, where the company was advised to induct the 100 junior staff but it still reneged on the promise. Comrade Success Jack, the NDAF convener, said they have now run out of patience and will take action after a fortnight.

Comrade Jack said: "The 2014/2015 NAOC host communities junior production technicians recruitment exercise in line with extant industry laws is a right and not a privilege granted to the host communities. Therefore, NAOC should immediately induct and integrate the successful applicants within a fortnight.

"We have embarked on 21 days of thorough consultations, with well over 120 community based organisations, community leaders and youth groups in the Niger Delta, over the disregard and total disrespect of our people in the region, extant laws and institutions of the Federal Republic of Nigeria by Nigeria Agip Oil Company(NAOC). Failure on the part of NAOC to comply with the 14 days ultimatum given herein, we shall commence a total and complete shutdown of all NAOC flow stations and oil production facilities within our communities."

He added that the group had exhausted all avenues and available options to make Agip live up to its corporate social responsibilities but the company was not ready to continue doing business in Nigeria. In addition, Mr Jack also called on Niger Deltans to boycott Agip products, given the contempt it has shown for their region.

 “We hereby call on all Niger Delta people to boycott all NAOC products and severe dealings with this avowed enemy of our people at the end of this ultimatum, while advising that the right things be done and quickly so, to avert the inevitable extreme position that our people have been forced to assume," Mr Jack added.

He said the NDAF appreciated President Muhammadu Buhari for graciously signing the Not Too Young To Run Bill into law which would accord Nigerian youth a place in the business of governance. According to Comrade Jack, this is a historic landmark achievement is geared towards youth empowerment and inclusion and not even the worst of onslaughts from anti-youth agents like NAOC can reverse it.