Rivers
NLNG Train 7: Stakeholders Re-Negotiate Workers’ Salaries
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Stakeholders in the Nigeria Liquified Natural Gas (NLNG) Train 7 project are renegotiating salaries of workers of the company in Bonny.
This is sequel to a high-powered meeting held at the instance of the Chairman of Bonny Local Government Area, Dame Anengi Barasua Dagogo-Wilcox, to address the situation.
The meeting, which ended on a positive note with a resolution by all stakeholders to renegotiate the salary structure of workers in the NLNG Train 7 project, was the basis for the May 7, 2022 protest by workers in Bonny.
The meeting, presided over by Dame Dagogo-Wilcox, at the Government Lodge, was attended by representatives of the Nigeria LNG Ltd, Train 7 contract handlers, Saipem, Chiyoda and Daewoo (SCD’JV), Bonny Chiefs Council, and Bonny Kingdom Local Content Compliance Committee (BKLCCC).
Other attendees are Bonny Integrated Recruitment Centre (BIRC), Bonny Youth Federation (BYF), Bonny Professionals Union and Staff Trade Unions of the contracting firms.
According to a statement issued by the Deputy Chief Press Secretary of Bonny Local Government Council, Boma Waribor, the stakeholders reviewed the existing Memorandum of Understanding that was relied upon by the contracting firms, and found that the processes that culminated in its drafting were not exhaustive.
Moreover, he said, “being a document that was produced in 2015, it cannot be relevant in 2022, making it defective and deserving of review as a way of preventing further disagreements and other social unrests”.
On her part, the Local Government Chairman advised that the company’s workers in Bonny be accorded what is due them following the rising cost of living and the need for them to measure up accordingly, with a promise to “follow up closely until there is a common ground for all parties concerned in the shortest possible time”.
She aligned with the general view on the need for renegotiation and advised that the trade unions, BKLCCC and SCD’JV, “go back, renegotiate and ensure that all parties are favourably disposed with regard to an improved workers salary and welfare packages”.
Chairman of the Workers Union, Charles Edward Hart, assured the stakeholders that his team would work collaboratively towards achieving the right salary baseline for workers and a document to buttress this was presented to the SCD-JV representatives.
By: Wokoma Emmanuel
Rivers
Rivers CJ To Sanction Lawyers Who Refuse To Comply With ADR Compliance
The Rivers state Chief Judge, Justice SIMONE CHIBUZOR-AMADI has given an indication to sanction any lawyer who fail to comply with directive of a judge in the state to transferred a case to Rivers State Multi Door Courthouse for Alternatives Dispute Resolution.
Justice AMADI stated this during a brief ceremony held at the chief judge auditorium in port Harcourt Friday held to hand over certificates of operation to two private ADR chambers on Precarious Dispute Resolution Services and Harmony Arbitration and mediation center .
He urged the two private ADR centres to be diligent in the discharge of their duties and warned against compromising the standard of Alternative Dispute Resolution, ADR but should observed the regulations set out in collaboration regulation by the state Multi Door Court House.
Earlier in a address, the Director of the State Multi Door Courthouse, VICTOR NWEKE esq, highlighted some of the achievements of the Multi Door Courthouse especially in decongestion of court rooms.
NWEKE while disclosing how the department certified the two private ADR centres called for serious punitive measures be taken against any lawyer who fail to comply with a case referred to Multi Door Court House by a judge or magistrates in the state.
In her acceptance speech on behalf of the two certified private ADR centres, ALICE NIMI commended the State Judiciary and Multi Door Courthouse for the approval and assured that all the rules and regulations spelt out will be followed.
In a related development; the Rivers State Judiciary has assured its readiness to collaborate with Nigerian Securityding Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC in using Alternative Dispute Resolution to resolve some of the issues in their office.
The state Chief Judge , Justice SIMONE CHIBUZOR-AMADI made the promise when he received in audience the Zonal Commander of NSCDC, Assistant Commandant General, AYINLA TALYE OLOWO and his team who paid him a courtesy visit in his office , Friday where issuees ADR utilization took centre stage.
He used the opportunity to brief his visitors on the hurdles judges faces daily in the court room and the need for the decongestion of the court room , stressing that one judge handle more than three hundred cases but that if lawyers and litigants adopt ADR practice court rooms can be releive of the daily congestions.
The state Chief Judge however urged NSCDC to ensure a wider sensitization of the members of the public on the practice of ADR for a better awareness and knowledge.
Earlier in his speech, the Zonal Commander of NSCDC, Assistant Commandant General, AYINLA TALYE-OLOWO said the visit was to seek collaboration on the use of ADR in resolving some issues which he insisted would help decongest the courtrooms.
Our correspondent reports officials of the Rivers State Multi Door Courthouse led by the Director, VICTOR NWEKE led the team of NSCDC on a technical session where information on how to the fully in cooperated into the Multi Door Courthouse and operation of ADR will be emphasized.
Akujobi Amadi