Politics
Rivers Lawmakers And Companies Employment Law
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
The lawmaker representing Ethiope East/West Federal Constituency of Delta State, Erhiatake Ibori-Suenu, has said that her defection to All Progressives Congress (APC) complied with the relevant sections of the constitution, hence there was no need for Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to declare her seat vacant.
This is just as she filed an affidavit to support her originating summon, listing her reasons for dumping the PDP for the APC.
Deposing the affidavit at the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja recently, the lawmaker listed the Speaker of the House of Representatives, the Clerk of the House and PDP as defendants.
She said her purpose for leaving the 3rd defendant was as a result of protracted crises in the party.
Ibori-Suenu said: “For over a year, the 3rd defendant has been enmeshed in a series of unresolved leadership crises at the national, which crisis has driven the party into two implacable camps.
“The 3rd defendant (PDP) started grappling with the internal strife before the 2023 presidential election, particularly after the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, primaries conducted for the election of the party’s presidential candidate.
“Upon the selection of the party’s vice presidential candidate for the presidential election in 2023, the internal disputes in the political party deepened resulting in division amongst the National Working Committee and creation of the (G-5). That is, Nyesom Wike, Samuel Ortom, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, Seyi Makinde and Okezie Ikpeazu (then governors of Rivers, Benue, Enugu State, Oyo and Abia states, respectively).
“Following the decision of a High Court which restrained lyorchia Ayu from acting as the party’s national chairman, an Acting National Chairman was appointed for the party.
“But his appointment generated massive discontent, which further divided the party at the national level.
“However, the division in the national leadership lingered due to the continued stay of the Acting National Chairman of the Party and the inability of the party to convene a meeting of its National Executive Committee, NEC, meeting for consideration of a replacement for the substantive National Chairman of the Party in compliance with Article 45(2) and 47(6) of the PDP Constitution (amended in 2017).
“Attached and marked Exhibit IB 2 is the PDP Constitution (amended in 2017).10. On October I1, 2024, the 3rd Defendant’s National Working Committee was embroiled in series of suspension and counter-suspensions amongst the members of the National Working Committee of the party.
“PDP National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, announced on behalf of a faction of the National Working Committee that the Acting National Chairman, Iliya Umar Damagum and the National Secretary, Senator Samuel Anyanwu, were suspended with the National chairman being replaced by Alhaji
The National Leader of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) and Governor of Anambra State, Prof Charles Soludo, has urged members of the National Executive Council (NEC) of the party to end the Supreme Court victory celebrations and focus on work in their respective states and localities.
The National Leader made this statement over the weekend in Abuja during the National Executive Council (NEC) meeting to mark the end of the fiscal year 2024.
Gov. Soludo also extended a hand of fellowship to Nigerians, inviting them to join APGA, which he described as “the most progressive party in Nigeria at the moment.”
Gov. Soludo said, “We want to unite all aggrieved members of the party for progress and the new Nigeria we all desire. I want to tell you that the Supreme Court victory is over and remains a call for unity.”
He expressed joy over the appointment of Ambassador Bianca Ojukwu as a cabinet member in President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
“Under this administration, a member of our party is appointed a minister, and the President moves outside APC. We shall grow from strength to strength because APGA is built to last,” he stated.
Reflecting on his administration in Anambra State, Gov. Soludo highlighted efforts to leave behind a lasting legacy, including a free education policy and significant infrastructural development, which he described as “promises kept to walk the talk.”
The National Chairman of the party, Barrister Sly Ezeokenwa, while welcoming delegates from across the country, expressed optimism about the party’s future following years of struggle for survival and a protracted court case that recently ended at the Supreme Court.
While chronicling APGA’s journey, its founding dreams, and its role as a political voice for the South-East, Ezeokenwa noted that despite recent internal challenges orchestrated by “political merchants,” the party had grown from a regional movement to a national entity.
He acknowledged Gov. Soludo’s pivotal role during the party’s legal battles, describing the governor as an invaluable asset throughout APGA’s struggles.
The National Working Committee (NWC) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has overruled the expulsion of Ikenga Ugochinyere by the Imo State chapter of the party.
On Saturday, Imo PDP announced the expulsion of Ugochinyere, the lawmaker representing the Ideato Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, from the party.
The state’s party chapter said the legislator was expelled over alleged misconduct and anti-party activities.
However, a few hours later, the party’s NWC described Ugochinyere’s expulsion as “null and void and of no effect”.
In a statement by the National Publicity Secretary of the PDP, Debo Ologunagba, the party said the move by its chapter in Imo was not “consistent with the express provision of Sections 57 (7) and 59 (3) of the constitution of the PDP (as amended in 2017) and laid down rules of our great party”.
“Section 57 (7) of the Constitution of the PDP is clear in providing that “Notwithstanding any other provision relating to discipline, no executive committee at any level, except the National Executive Committee, shall entertain any question of discipline as may relate or concern a member of the National Executive Committee, deputy governors, or members of the National Assembly,” the statement read.
“Also, Section 59 (3) of the Constitution of the PDP is unambiguous in providing that “Notwithstanding any other provision of this Constitution relating to discipline, no Executive Committee at any level except the National Executive Committee shall entertain any question of discipline as may relate or concern a member of the National Executive Committee, President, Vice President, Governors, Deputy Governors, Ministers, Ambassadors, Special Advisers, or member of any of the Legislative Houses.
“It is therefore clear that no ward, local government, or even state chapter of the party has the power to suspend, expel, or discipline a member of the National Assembly in any form whatsoever without due recourse to the National Working Committee as provided by the Constitution of the PDP”, it added.
The PDP NWC added that Hon Ugochinyere remains a party member with all rights, privileges, recognition, and obligations.
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