North Delta youths urge oil firm to comply with NCDMB guidelines

Youths in the Niger Delta region, under the aegis of the Obolo Youth Coalition Worldwide, have flayed the oil firm operating OML 115 and OML 67, Oriental Energy Resources Limited (OERL), for failing to comply with the policies and guidelines of the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) in host communities of Effiat/Mbo in Akwa-Ibom State.

The youth body, in Port Harcourt at the weekend, alleged that the OERL has refused to comply with the guidelines, saying that the neglect has caused untold hardship to the people of the area.

President General of Obolo Youth Coalition Worldwide, Emmanuel Essang, said although the company has shown commitment to its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) in the area, he insisted that OERL should reserve all unskilled job roles for indigenes of the host communities where its project is domiciled.

The group demanded that at least 50 per cent of semi-skilled job roles be exclusively reserved for indigenes of the host community or communities where the operation is domiciled.

“At least 10 per cent of skilled roles should be exclusively reserved for indigenes of the host communities where the project is domiciled. In the event that the host community does not have qualified personnel to take over the 10 per cent of the skilled roles, then the 10 per cent slot shall be converted to additional relevant skill-training for the community or communities.”

Essang recalled that the company and the youths of the host communities entered into an agreement in 2023 and 2024 at the NCDMB’s office in Eket, where the firm allegedly agreed to engage the operations and supply chain department to utilize any available opportunities in this regard.

He regretted that after the meeting, the company had not complied with the agreement, noting the alleged suffering and undue hardship it had imposed on the youths of the area.

The group, however, called on President Bola Tinubu to, as a matter of urgency, order Oriental Energy to abide by and comply with the agreement reached in 2023/2024 and the guidelines of the NCDMB without further delay.

They demanded that “Oriental Energy should compel their vendors to have an immediate meeting with the host communities in compliance with the NOGICD Act.”

“We give the company a 21-day ultimatum from today to have an immediate interface with the host communities to work out modalities to meet the demands of the host communities.”

The group warned that failure to comply with their demands within 21 days will result in the youths occupying all the facilities belonging to the company, thereby disrupting its operations for as long as it lasts.