Community Youth Block Saipem Gate …Demand Employment Rights

Sympathisers at a commercial bank last Wednesday affected by a fire incident which razed several shops, offices, vehicles and equipment at Olodi Apapa in Lagos last Tuesday. Photo: NAN

Youth in Rumuolumeni Community in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area of Rivers State yesterday besieged the Corporate Office of Saipem Limited located in the community, and blocked the major entrance in protest of perceived marginalization by the company.
The Tide gathered that the Youth arrived at the Saipem office in large numbers, chanting solidarity songs and carrying placards with varying inscriptions to register their discontent over perceived insensitivity of the company to their plight.
Spokesman of the community, Inspector Innocent Obisike, who led the protest, accused Saipem of violating its corporate social responsibility to the community.
He said the teeming unemployed youth in the community were neglected by the company in terms of employment opportunities.
He also accused Saipem of giving out employment opportunities to people from outside the community while Rumuolumeni youth were slighted in spite of their qualification.
Speaking on behalf of the protesters, he demanded full employment rights as deliberate policy by the company for youth in Rumuolumeni.
Some of the protesters, who spoke with our correspondent, lamented the alleged divide and rule tendency of Saipem and other companies operating in the area to create division in the community.
They accused Saipem of conniving with some few members of the community in dealing with issues affecting the whole community.
The Youth insisted that they would continue to protest until Saipem responded to their demand.
However, several attempts to get the reaction of Saipem on the issue was unsuccessful as the Public relations Officer of the company declined to comment on the development.
It would be recalled that recently, youth from same community had protested neglect by Saipem, especially in the area of bad roads.
The community had attributed the deplorable state of roads in the community to total neglect by Saipem and other multinationals operating in the community.