Speaking to newsmen shortly after a brief meeting with some management staff of the company at the State House of Assembly Complex on Thursday, chairman of the committee, Deacon Otobo Noah Opusiri, reiterated that it was imperative that companies operating in the state comply with the local content policy of the federal government.

The lawmaker, representing Nembe Constituency III, in the House, frowned at the unwarranted absence of the company’s project manager, informing that over thirty two companies are operating in the state silently without adhering to the labour laws of the state and that of the federal government.
According to Deacon Opusiri, the House Committee on Labour, Employment and Productivity, would ensure that Bayelsans were given employment in these companies in line with the local content policy of the federal government.

He said the committee was interested in how many Bayelsans were being employed by the companies at all levels of their operations, reiterating that the companies must show a documentary proof of their compliance with the local content policy.

Deacon Opusiri said the State House of Assembly would not take any excuses from companies that employ non indigenes to the detriment of Bayelsa state indigenes, as provided for in the local content policy document of the federal government.

In their separate remarks, the deputy leader of the House, Chief Hawkins Kalabo, representing Southern Ijaw constituency II and Chief Victor Sam-Ateki, representing Brass constituency I, lamented that, though several companies operate in the state, Bayelsans are being denied employment opportunities, rather, non indigenes are being employed in the place of Bayelsans, contrary to the good intents and purposes of the local content policy of the federal government.

It would be recalled that the House Committee on Labour, Employment and Productivity had invited the project manager of Daewoo DN57 last week, along with other management staff, to appear before the committee on February 4th, 2010 (Thursday), but the project manager was absent at the meeting, which made the House Committee to issue a six days ultimatum to the project manager to appear before it or face the wrath of the House.
Following the absence of the project manager, Mr. Beck, the House Committee had asked the other management staff who turned up for the meeting to go back and come with the project manager by Wednesday next week.





 

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