Business
Local Content Act: RVHA Warns Firms Against Non-Compliance
The Rivers State House of Assembly (RVHA) has warned companies operating in the state against non-compliance with the Local Content Act and the Rivers State Employment Law.
The Chairman, Assembly Committee on Public Complaints and Petitions, Hon. Evans Bipi gave the warning, yesterday, while presenting the report of the House Joint Committee on Communities Protest Against Niger Delta Petroleum Resources’ insensitivity to local content and development of the communities at the plenary session in Port Harcourt.
According to the report, the committee recommended that NDPR operates in compliance with the Local Content Act and the Rivers State Employment Law to ensure that employment slots are given to the host communities.
The report also recommended that all companies operating in the state should include, at least, one person to represent host communities their Board of Trustees (BoT) to strengthen trust between companies and communities in the state.
Bipi said the committee also recommended that NDPR should, as a matter of urgency, complete all uncompleted projects embarked upon in host communities in the state.
The committee urged companies operating in the state, especially NDPR to provide employment and other sundry empowerment opportunities to qualified members of the affected communities to bridge the disparity in the employment ratio between indigenes and non-indigenes in the communities.
The report blamed NDPR for its failure to renew the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with its host communities since 2013.
The report recommended immediate renewal of the Global Memorandum of Understanding (GMoU) that would define the character and type of community development projects suitable for each community.
The Tide recalls that the Rivers State House of Assembly led by the Speaker, Rt. Hon. Ikuinyi-Owaji Ibani on August 1, 2016, constituted a Joint Committee headed by Hon. Evans Bipi, to investigate the activities of NDPR as it concerned community development, environmental pollution and unfair employment practices to some communities in Ahoada East, Emohua and Abua/Odua local government areas of the state and report back to the House.
The petitions were written by indigenes of five communities, which include Ogbele, Obumeze and Oshiugbokor in Ahoada-East, Otari in Abua/Odual and Rumuekpe in Emohua LGA of the state.
Enoch Epelle