NIGER DELTA INDIGENOUS MOVEMENT FOR RADICAL CHANGE (NDIMRC)
Oporoza, Headquarters of Gbaramatu Kingdom, Warri South-West
Local Government Area, Delta State, Nigeria
His Excellency,
Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, GCFR,
President, Commander- in -Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic, Presidential Villa,
Aso Rock,
Abuja,
Nigeria.
Your Excellency,
MR. PRESIDENT, WE SAY NO TO INTERNATIONAL OIL COMPANIES’ CURRENT STRATEGY OF EXECUTING MAJOR FABRICATION JOBS OUTSIDE THE NIGER DELTA THEREBY DENYING OUR PEOPLE NECESSARY JOBS.
Our attention has once again been drawn to disturbing developments in the oil and gas sector as the International Oil Companies have started a new strategy aimed at further depriving the oil-rich Niger Delta region from gainful employment of her youths. As most if not all the major fabrication contracts designed to create job for the Niger Delta people are being executed outside the region where oil resources are being extracted.
Your Excellency, investigations have revealed that the Egina FPSO contract, the most recent of the major contracts tender process between Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI) and Samsung Heavy Industries (SHI), both Korean companies, which is an integration of Floating Production Storage and Offloading (FPSO) is currently being considered for execution outside the Niger Delta. We are aware that Total, the Operator of the block did not consider any site in the Niger Delta suitable for this project during the tender process that culminated with the award of contract to SHI.
However, studies indicate Niger Delta has very good seaports capable of hosting the FPSO integration: Oron, Onne and Warri just to mention a few. We are of the believe, award of this Mega contract for execution in any part of the Niger Delta region would attract jubilation and happiness to our people and further bring development and employment to the region considering the vast opportunities the region stands to benefit, particularly by creating approximately 2000 jobs, for our brothers in the region and further strengthen the Amnesty programme.
But this dream will elude us since our investigation revealed that the project might be executed outside the Niger Delta thereby denying the good people of Niger Delta the benefits as it relates to job creation and economic empowerment.
Mr. President, a similar scenario is being played in the ERHA deepwater project operated by Esso, a subsidiary of ExxonMobil Corporation, where Aker Solutions is to develop an onshore Umbilical plant as part of the Nigerian Content initiative. Unfortunately, this plant is also to be located outside the Niger Delta further widening the unemployment sphere and heightening security concerns in the region. The question is how long will the Niger Delta people continue to suffer this injustice in the hand of multinationals? How do we engage the growing army of youths meaningfully to minimize criminal activities? The need to relocate headquarters of all International Oil Companies operating in the region should be reconsidered because such action deprive governments of the oil producing states tax and unskilled labour force. Its implementation would create jobs for the youth and revenues for developing the region. In addition, all the big engineering firms outside the Niger Delta should be directed to relocate to the region and contribute to its human and social development.
The decisions of FPSO integration and the Aker solutions Umbilical plant to execute these projects outside the Niger Delta region calls for serious concern. It will be the height of injustice if these contracts are executed outside the Niger Delta. Therefore, the IOCs and Contractors involved should be directed to rescind such actions as a measure correcting years of injustice and explore options of executing these projects in the Niger Delta to create employment and absorb the army of youths already trained by the Amnesty Programme. This will go a long way to strengthen the Amnesty process and sustain the fragile peace existing in the region.
As a watch dog in the region, we know that there is a grand design to bring more pains to indigenes of the oil-rich region, by depriving us of beneficial oil and gas projects .We will not let this happen, our peace loving people are willing to work and have gainful employment having obtained the relevant training requisites, which is attributable to Yar ‘Adua and your good self. It is very disheartening that the goodwill of your administration in creating employment opportunities in Niger Delta will not be implemented if these projects are not executed in the Niger Delta region.
Your Excellency, we want to make it very clear that we are not going to allow these projects to be executed outside the Niger Delta region. The wise thing to do now by these companies and the Nigerian Content Development Management Board is to mandate the contractors to consider very seriously executing the FPSO Integration project and the Umbilical Plant in Niger Delta and nowhere else.
We hope Your Excellency will look into our petition and tread the path of honour by advising the Honorable Minister of Petroleum Resources (HMPR), to look into this matter with the urgency it deserves. The HMPR and your good self will etch your names in the hearts of our people by doing this noble gesture that will alleviate the suffering of the indigenes of Niger Delta.
Mr. President, we want you to know that a lot of our indigenes that have graduated from university and those in the Amnesty Programme have been trained and the only hope to get employment is through the execution of various oil and gas projects in Niger Delta by the multinational oil companies operating in the region. We are therefore, drawing your attention to this particular Egina FPSO and ERHA projects. We are also aware the tender process started since 2009 but it is not late to make these changes as we are advised it will not change the cost of these projects. However, if these projects are not relocated to the Niger Delta, the youths you have trained in the Amnesty programme will remain unemployed and can resort to militancy, a development you will not be pleased with, we believe this is not what you need at this time considering the current oil production level your administration is enjoying.
We are also using this opportunity to call on the International Community to prevail on both the International Oil Companies and the Contractors to support creation of employment opportunities in the Niger Delta through a dedicated strategy of projects execution in the region. This will go a long way in eliminating the insecurity in the region if the youths are engaged in meaningful work and sporting activities. We, the concerned citizens of the Niger Delta are seeking your support towards this noble course to redirect the situation in the region for a cordial relationship with the Oil and Gas industry. While we recognize the need for profit maximization on company’s investments, the requirement of social corporate responsibility and the essential of operating under a conducive environment beneficial to all cannot be over-emphasized.
Your Excellency, Government and the Oil Majors have all what it takes to change the history of the Niger Delta from pain, sorrow, blood and death to joy and happiness. We implore you to ensure the right thing is done. Please act fast to secure a future for communities and peoples of the Niger Delta region.
Long live Niger Delta Region,
Long live Federal Republic of Nigeria
Sign:
