Delta oil community urges FG to prevail on NPDC to give jobs to indigenes

Gbaramatu Traditional Council in Warri South West Local Government Area of Delta State has urged the Federal Government to prevail on the management of the Nigerian Petroleum Development Company (NPDC), to honour the agreement reached with the people of the oil rich Gbaramatu Kingdom to sustain the prevailing peace in the area.

The spokesman of Gbaramatu Traditional Council, Chief Godspower Gbenekama, who spoke to journalists on Thursday in the area noted that it was imperative they draw the attention of the federal government to the unwholesome activities of the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and NDPC who have allegedly refused to give jobs and contracts to indigenous of the community.

They expressed displeasure over the company’s attitude to indigenous contractors from the Niger Delta in OML 42 operations covering Odidi 1 and 11, Egwa 1 and 11, Beta and Jones Creek Flow Stations, as they were being denied contracts.

The community also accused NPDC of awarding contracts to their cronies outside the Niger Delta, warning that they can no longer watch the companies deny them opportunity for empowerment and development.

Gbaramatu people while assuring the Nigerian government of their resolve to sustain the prevailing peace, they further wants the Acting President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo to prevail on the oil companies in question to give employment and contracts to their people.

Meanwhile, the state governor, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa, has urged Nigerians to stop stigmatization of ex-prison inmates and explore ways of reforming, rehabilitating and re-integrating them into the society.

Governor Okowa gave the charge in Warri yesterday during a programme organized by the Global Prisons Outreach aimed at empowering the inmates towards getting them out of crime.

Represented by the state Commissioner for Local Government, Chieftaincy Affairs, Sir Bright Edejeghwro, the governor noted that prisons were designed to impact positively on the inmates, but unfortunately it is difficult for most of them to adjust to the society after their release.

He therefore urged the management of the outreach to ensure that beneficiaries are well monitored to ensure the success of the programme, just as he called for concerted effort in the training, reformation and rehabilitation of inmates, promising to partner with the group.

The state Comptroller of Prisons, Mr. Iyakoregha who charred the event commended the management of Global Prisons Outreach for keying into the objectives of the Nigeria Prison Service to reform, rehabilitate and re-integrate inmates into the society.

Mr. Iyakpregha note that if ex-prisoners are properly trained and gainfully employed, they will not want to go back to crime. He called on government at all levels, and corporate and religious organizations to key into the vision of Global Prisons Outreach.