Indignant youth hailing from the oil-producing regions of Mbo local government area in Akwa Ibom State convened a large-scale demonstration on the previous day, castigating indigenous oil company, Oriental Energy Resources Limited.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶
The protesters alleged that the company had violated the community content regulations embedded in the Nigeria Content Board (NCB) Act….CONTINUE READING
The demonstrators wielded placards adorned with diverse messages, including phrases like “Oriental, Halt Disregard for Local Content Law,” “Relocate Your Operational Base,” “Put an End to Marginalization in Employment and Contract Allocations,” “Our People Are Qualified for Work at Oriental,” “Mbo Has Community Contractors,” “Equity, Fair Play, and Justice Are Our Demands,” and “NCDMB, Come to Our Aid.”
Marching along the streets of Ibaka, a coastal town nestled by the Atlantic Ocean, the protestors drummed and vocalized anti-Oriental Energy chants. Law enforcement was heavily present to deter any potential breaches of law by the youth.
However, the leader of the Mbo Youth, Comrade Edwards Moses, spearheading the protest, expressed his disappointment at how the company had excluded local residents from employment and contract distribution, regardless of the stipulations within the national content legislation.
Moses stated, “Oriental Energy has flouted the engagement directives outlined by the local content board. The guidelines mandate that oil corporations operating within a community should prioritize 100% unskilled labor, 50% semi-skilled, and at least 20% skilled labor opportunities for the youth of that community.
However, Oriental has not adhered to these provisions, as detailed in Sections 4, Subsections 1-4 of the Nigeria Content Act 2010.”
“As a matter of policy,” Moses continued, “all service providers working with Oriental are supposed to emerge from the community.
Nevertheless, reliable sources have revealed that Oriental has cautioned these companies against interacting with community members, as the company has chosen not to incorporate community content in its contract awards.”
