Politics

Rivers Lawmakers And Companies Employment Law

Published

15 years ago

August 15, 2011

Few months after its inauguration, the 7th Rivers State House of Assembly appears set to dispense its legislative duties with clout and political will.

In what could be regarded as its first litimus test, the House recently demonstrated a bold move to expand its legislative over sight function to cover sensitive areas for public concern and good governance.

Interestingly, the state also by its strategic location and enormous economic potentials play host to multinational companies operating with divest business concern and interests.

As one of its oversight functions, the House recently moved to check the activities of these multinationals, in terms of compliance to international best practices, and corporate social responsibilities to their host communities.

The House also as a form of appraisal resolved to access the extent of implementation of the State Employment Law, by the various companies operating in the state.

The Rivers State Employment law, known as Junior Workers (Enforcement) Law 2000, stipulates in part that, “all companies or persons having a place of business in Rivers State and having a total minimum of staff of twenty persons shall employ indigenes of Rivers State into junior staff positions in such places or business”. The law was a decisive policy of the Assembly to reduce unemployment in the state, but investigations reveal that Rivers indigenes are yet to fully benefit from the policy, due to the skewed practices of multi-national companies.

The House inquisition therefore stem mostly from public outcry over alleged violation of the policy by the companies.

The issue was brought on the floor of the House recently, through a motion moved by the Deputy Leader, Hon. Ewor Nname, representing Ahoada East Constituency 1.

Hon. Ewor drew the attention of the House to the crisis of unemployment and environmental pollution in the state, following the failure of multinationals to respond to their corporate social responsibilities.

The deputy leader, noted that most of the multinationals deliberately defy the Global Memorandum of Understanding, (GMoU), signed with their host communities, and other civilized norms and practices which they strictly comply with at their foreign roots. The fallout of this indiscreet actions according to the lawmaker, is a “devastated environment and denigrating poverty in the Niger Delta”.

Hon. Ewor was explicit in his prayers as he specifically pointed out the companies to face the scrutiny of the House.

They include, Shell Petroleum Development Company, (SPDC), AGIP, Nigeria Liquified Natural Gas, (NLNG) Total E&P, Intel Services, Eleme Petrochemicals, Saipem, Schlumberger, BJ Services, Grinaker, Chevron, Trans Ocean, Halliburton, Ibeto Cement, Dangote Cement, and ZB Joint Ventures.

Hon. Ewor among other prayers, urged the House to call on the multinationals to provide the lists of Rivers people in their employment from the date of effect of the law.

Considering the importance of the issue, Hon. Ewor, said the Assembly should give it deserving attention, as glossing over the matter would amount to compromising the fate of Rivers people.

The Deputy Leader’s motion was substantiated by mother motion by Hon. Martins Amaewhule representing, Obio/Akpor constituency 1. Hon. Amaewhule presented Pabod Breweries, against Rivers indigenes the case of slave labour, allegedly perpetrated in its employment referring to a petition from the Food, Beverages and Tobacco Senior Staff Association, Pabod Breweries branch, Hon. Amaewhule informed the House of the allegations of arbitrary sacking and discriminating salary structure against Rivers indigenes working in Pabod Breweries.

The two motions received the overwhelming support of members and they gave a unanimous consent through a bloc vote.

Speaker of the State Assembly, Rt. Hon. Otelemaba Amachree, who presided over the session constituted a 10-man adhoc committee to investigate the allegations against the companies and report back to the Assembly. The adhoc committee is headed by the House Leader, Hon. Chidi Lloyd.

Public reactions have since trailed the move by the Assembly to check the activities of companies operating in the state.

Publicity Secretary of the Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN in Rivers State, Mr. Jerry Needam, had in a press statement lauded the state assembly over its moves. The Rivers State ACN spokesman urged the Assembly to make its investigations thorough and devoid of any iota of compromise, and ensure that defaulting companies are brought to book.

Needam who berated some of the mult-inationals over their non-conformist status, said the state House of Assembly owe the people of Rivers State a sense of responsibility to enforce compliance on their part, especially to the Rivers state employment laws.

A stakeholder and concerned Rivers citizen, Jacob Frank Peters, described the move by the state assembly as a “test of legislative will”.

Peters told The Tide in an interview that is was ironical for qualified Rivers indigenes to roam the streets without jobs, despite the presence of multinational companies all over the state.

He said the employment law in the state should be reviewed to create opportunities for Rivers people to work also in administrative cadres of the various companies.

According to Peters, “issues of environmental neglect in the state should be given prime attention by the lawmakers, because the people depend entirely on their natural environment for survival”. He added that above every consideration; “the business concern of the multinational companies is of paramount interest to them, and they will stop at nothing to get their way”.

An environmental sociologist, Dr. Steve Wodu, said the Rivers State House of Assembly should be proactive in their enforcement of the employment law. According to him, “short of the unwinking vigilance of a no mean institution like the House of Assembly, the companies will continue to operate on double standard”. The environmentalist also cautioned the lawmakers against the antics of the oil firms.

As the adhoc committee commences its sittings Rivers people are following up the unfolding event to see the extent the scrutiny of the state assembly will check the excesses of the multi-nationals.

Reports however indicate traces of intractability on the part of most of the multi-national companies, as revealed in the manner of their response to the invitation of the committee. Many of the companies, were said to have outrightly shunned the invitation of the committee or sent representatives other than the management of the companies.

Analists believe that if the Assembly fails to confront the powerful multinationals with political will, then the inquisition of the House would have been dead on arrival.

Taneh Beemene

Politics

Parties’ Deregistration: How Justice Lifu Overruled Appeal Court Justices

Published

20 hours ago

June 17, 2026

The Tide

Justice Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court in Abuja on Monday brushed aside the order of the Court of Appeal in Abuja which ordered him to stay proceedings in a suit that sought deregistration of the African Democratic Party (ADC), Accord Party and three others.
The Court of Appeal in a unanimous decision of a panel of three Justices had on May 22, 2026 directed the Federal High Court Judge not to proceed with the suit until an appeal pending before them and filed by Accord Party is resolved.
In a Certified True Copy Enrol Order of the Superior Court, Justices Mohammed Danjuma, Adebukola Banjoko and Oyejoju Oyewumi asked the lower Court Judge to stay proceedings until all issues on the appeal filed by the Accord Party were resolved
Governor Ademola Adeleke of Osun State had, through the Accord Party, applied to justice Lifu to join him as a defendant in the deregistration legal battle instituted by a group of former legislators.
The contention of the Osun State governor was that he had a stake in the Accord Party, being the platform he was seeking re-election in the August 15 gubernatorial poll in the state.
In his ruling, Justice Lifu on April 27 ruled against the Osun State governor, rejecting his request to be joined in the suit to defend his own position and interest.
Not satisfied with the Federal High Court decision, the Osun State governor, through his lawyer, Musibau Adetunbi (SAN), moved to the Court of Appeal in Abuja where he challenged the Justice Lifu decision to refuse to allow him join the suit.
After listening to the argument canvassed, especially that he has interest to protect as Accord Party gubernatorial candidate for Osun State governorship election, the three Justices of the Court of Appeal, unanimously directed Justice Lifu to allow them look into the grievances of the governor.
In specific terms, the Court of Appeal Justices directed Justice Lifu not to proceed further with the matter and fixed October 27 to determine the interlocutory appeal of the appellant.
However, when the certified enroll order and notice of appeal were served on Justice Peter Lifu by Mr Adetunbi (SAN), the judge rejected it on the ground that it was a ploy to arrest his judgment in the matter.
Although the judge had adjourned his judgment delivery in the matter indefinitely, he finally made a dramatic turn around on Monday and proceeded to deliver the judgment that has now proscribed the five political parties.

Politics

ADC: Okonkwo Rejects Amaechi As Presidential Running Mate, Withdraws Support

Published

20 hours ago

June 17, 2026

The Tide

Actor turned politician, Mr Kenneth Okonkwo, has rejected the choice of former Rivers State Governor, Mr Rotimi Amaechi, as the running mate to Alhaji Atiku Abubakar in the 2027 presidential election on the platform of the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
In a statement on Monday, Mallam Bolaji Abdulllahi, the National Publicity Secretary of the ADC, announced the party’s choice of Mr Amaechi.
However in a statement, Mr Okonkwo said that the choice of Mr Amaechi from the South South strengthens the continued marginalization of people from the South East.
According to the former spokesperson of the Labour Party, any arrangement that would not factor a person from the South East either as president or vice president in the party is anti-Igbo.
He contended that Chief Raph Nwosu, who founded the ADC in 2005 and willingly surrendered it’s leadership to Senator David Mark did not do so to entrench Igbo marginalization in the party.
The former actor said: “I heard from the social media that ADC has picked its vice presidential candidate from the South-South. If this is true, it is unfortunate, as this will continue the crude marginalisation of the South-East.
“This geo-political zone has neither produced a president or vice president since 1999. To deny the South-East the opportunity to produce the president or vice president in the ADC in 2027, will amount to perpetuating the marginalisation.
“The ADC was founded by Ralphs Nwosu from the South-East in 2005. He made the sacrifice to give up the party in 2025 for the coalition to usher in a better Nigeria. He couldn’t have made that sacrifice to marginalise his own people.
“I did not join the coalition to assist in marginalisation of my own people further. I am of the opinion that if we made a sacrifice to give up the national chairman and the president, it will amount to unpardonable injustice to deny us the vice president in 2027.
“I joined politics to fight for a better Nigeria where no region, geo-political zone, or person will be marginalised.
“The only favour I asked Atiku Abubakar, who openly declared that he is the pathway to the presidency of the South-East, is to show it by choosing someone from the South-East to be his vice.
“If it is confirmed that he has chosen a candidate from the South-South, I wish him well. I am not favourably disposed to campaigning for any presidential ticket that does not have a person of South-East origin as president or vice in 2027”

Politics

2027: Tinubu’s Projects Give APC Edge In South East – Yilwatda

Published

20 hours ago

June 17, 2026

The Tide

The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Professor Nentawe Yilwatda, on Monday said that the numerous projects being executed by President Bola Tinubu across the states in the southeast will give him upper hand over other presidential candidates during next year’s general elections.
Prof. Yilwatda stated this at the Abakaliki Township Stadium during a mega rally organized by the Ebonyi State government and Minister of Works, Senator David Umahi, during which President Tinubu and other APC candidates for the 2027 general elections were adopted.
According to the APC National Chairman, no President had done for the southeast region what President Tinubu has done for them and expressed the confidence that the president would not only win in Ebonyi State but in the entire South East.
Prof. Yilwatda also used the occasion to address growing insinuations in some quarters that Ebonyi State had been conceded to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Dismissing the claim, Prof. Yilwatda said the state would not allow the PDP to win any position in the forthcoming general election.
“We will return President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Francis Nwifuru as Governor of Ebonyi State in 2027.
“We want to return all APC senators, members of the House of Representatives and House of Assembly candidates in 2027.
“Nobody has conceded Ebonyi to the PDP. Therefore, there is no vacancy in Ebonyi State. Ebonyi PDP has no place, and there is no vacancy at all in the Government House come 2027,” the APC National Chairman declared.
He commended the people of the state for their support for President Tinubu and urged them to re-elect him in the next presidential election in appreciation of what he has done for the state and the entire South-East through infrastructural transformation and human capital development.
Governor Francis Nwifuru, who also spoke at the event, said the state had no other presidential candidate for the 2027 general elections apart from President Tinubu.

He declared that Ebonyi remained a stronghold of the APC and vowed that the party would deliver the President in the state.

Gov. Nwifuru said President Tinubu had shown exceptional commitment to the state and deserved total support for appointing Senator Umahi as Minister of Works, a role he said Senator Umahi had performed creditably.

“Ebonyi has no other presidential candidate apart from President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, and we will return him in the presidential election.

“We are standing here today to tell the whole world, especially those using the President’s name to orchestrate division and confusion in this great state, that we have only one party, and that is the APC.

“This statement became necessary because some people are going around claiming they have discussed with Mr President and that he has handed Ebonyi over to the PDP. They are also saying that Chief Nyesom Wike is their leader and that Wike said the President has given Ebonyi to him.

“Ebonyi is not for sale. We are restraining ourselves because the people are with us. Nobody should push us because we have what it takes to confront anyone trying to destabilise us.

“We want to tell Mr President that he has earned our votes. He gave us what we had never had in Eastern Nigeria — the office of the Minister of Works. And this Minister of Works is not sitting idle; he is working,” he stated.

Senator Umahi, in his remarks, said President Tinubu had done what no other President had done for Ebonyi State and the entire South-East by executing numerous projects across the state and the region.

“Ebonyi State is a one-party state under Governor Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru. We are not going to repeat the mistakes of the past.

“President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has done a lot, not just for Ebonyi State but for the entire South-East and other geopolitical zones,” he said.