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
Members of the Lagos State House of Assembly, on Monday, passed a vote of confidence in Mojisola Meranda as the Speaker of the Assembly.
The lawmakers expressed their confidence in her leadership at the plenary, which Rt Hon. Meranda presided over amidst tight security.
The Tide’s source reports that there was a growing tension at the assembly as legislative workers protested against the alleged plans to remove Rt Hon. Meranda as the Speaker of the Assembly.
The legislative workers also clashed with the operatives of the Department of State Security (DSS) who, in the early hours of Monday, stormed the assembly and sealed Rt Hon. Meranda’s office alongside that of her Deputy and the Clerk.
Our source had reported how armed security personnel took over the complex at Alausa, Ikeja, leading to palpable tension among the lawmakers and workers of the assembly.
There are indications that the ongoing imbroglio at the assembly following the removal of Mudashiru Obasa as Speaker on January 13 has not abated.
The Monday’s drama came a few days after Mr Obasa, who was removed for alleged abuse of office and corruption, dragged the state lawmakers to court, challenging his removal as the Speaker of the Assembly.
There are alleged plans to return Mr Obasa as the Speaker, a development which has further heightened tension at the assembly.
The Tide’s source reports that when Meranda arrived the assembly complex amidst tight security around 11:15 am on Monday, many legislative workers showed solidarity with the first female Speaker over alleged plans to remove her.
“Meranda we want”, “Meranda We want”, the workers were chanting in a short video clip.
Rt Hon. Meranda visibly overwhelmed by emotion was surrounded by her security details amid the chaotic atmosphere.
Inside the chamber, officials of the DSS clashed with the legislative workers, leading to commotion.
The DSS officials, dressed in black jackets and helmets and armed with weapons, struggled with the workers at the door.
The Tide’s source gathered that, with support from the legislative workers, lawmakers had earlier forced their way into the chamber around 12:30 pm.
It was further gathered that Rt Hon Meranda and about 32 members were present at the plenary.
A short video clip of the plenary showed that all the lawmakers in attendance had passed a vote of confidence on Rt Hon Meranda.
“Madam Speaker, all members standing before you, I move a motion to say that we do pass the vote of confidence on Rt Hon Mojisola Lasbat Meranda”, a lawmaker said.
The motion was supported by all members in attendance.
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Osun State, on Monday, traded words over the alleged killing of three persons.
Members of both parties were locked in battle for the control of some local government secretariats. While two persons were killed in Iragbiji in Boripe Local Government Area, another was killed in Irewole Local Government Area.
There had been tension across the state over the Court of Appeal judgment in respect of the sacked APC council chairmen and councillors.
While the PDP claimed that the Feb. 10 judgment of the Court of Appeal, Akure, did not reinstate the sacked APC chairmen and councillors elected in 2022, APC insisted on their return.
Speaking with journalists in Iragbiji, Korede Ajeigbe, the commissioner for government affairs and protocol, claimed that two PDP members were killed while trying to prevent APC members from taking over a secretariat.
Mr Ajeigbe also said that six PDP members were seriously injured and were currently receiving treatment in the hospital.
APC, however, alleged that PDP members attacked its members while trying to enforce the Court of Appeal judgment.
Addressing a news conference in Osogbo, Bayo Adeleke, a chieftain of the APC, claimed that one of the party’s prominent members was killed during the crisis.
He also alleged that another member of the party, Remi Omowaye, escaped an assassination attempt in Ilesa.
Mr Adeleke, a former commissioner for local government and chieftaincy affairs, urged the state government to allow peace to reign by allowing the APC chairmen and councillors to return to office.
Another chieftain of the party, Jamiu Olawumi, claimed that APC chairmen had resumed in 15 local governments of the state.
This claim, however, could not be immediately verified.
When contacted, the police spokesperson in the state, CSP Yemisi Opalola, said she was yet to be briefed on the alleged killings.
Ms Opalola, however, said police officers had been deployed to all the local government secretariats in the state to prevent breakdown of law and order.
Meanwhile, Gov. Ademola Adeleke has directed workers as well as politicians to stay away from local government secretariats to avoid further bloodshed.
Mr Adeleke, in a statement by his spokesperson, Olawale Rasheed, said only security agents would be allowed to keep watch at the secretariats.
He condoled with families of victims of the crisis.
Leader of the 8th Opobo/Nkoro Legislative Assembly, Barrister Samuel Nengia, has passed a vote of confidence on the Chairman of the LGA, Dr. Enyiada Cookey-Gam, as he marked his first one hundred days in his second term in office.
Speaking with newsmen recently in Port-Harcourt on Dr Cookey-Gam and the celebration of his first one hundred days in office, among other people-oriented development projects and programmes, Nengia argued that the Chairman and his team have recorded unprecedented developmental strides, which includes infrastructure transformation, empowerment, security, human capital development, payment of the approved N85,000. 00 minimum wage to Opobo/Nkoro workers’, among others.
He pointed out that his commendation was apt as the activities of the Chairman had been monitored and discovered to reflect the expectations and yearnings of the people, especially, the promotion of council staff, the refurbishment of the Assembly Complex to standard, the construction of Corpers’ Lodge, the provision of effective transportation system for the well-being of the people in the area.
Hon. Nengia, representing Opobo/Nkoro Ward 6, averred that the people of the LGA could now sleep with their eyes closed owing to Dr Cookey-Gam’s achievements in in the security sector.
He added that the vote of confidence the Council’s number one citizen would strengthen him to deliver more democratic dividends to Opobo/Nkoro people.
He admonished Opobo/Nkoro people to rally support for the Chairman to perform creditably well for the well-being of the electorate in the area.
Meanwhile, Barr. Samuel Nengia, has thanked Governor Siminalayi Fubara for appointing three illustrious sons of Opobo/Nkoro Local Government Area into positions of trust vis former Commissioner for Education, Dr. Tamunosisi Gogo Jaja, as Chairman, Rivers State House of Assembly Service Commission; former Secretary of Opobo/Nkoro Local Government Area, Engr. Edward Namiesimagha, as Chairman, Rivers State Waste Management Agency (RIWAMA) and Surveyor Peter Ogolo, as Surveyor-, General of the state.
Hon. Nengia, who described the appointments as well deserved, however, enjoined the appointees to bring their leadership wealth of experience to bear in the herculean tasks of reviving their various areas of jurisdiction.
Bethel Toby