President of Itsekiri National Youth Council (INYC), Oritseweyinmi Agbateyiniro, has threatened that except Nigerian National Petroleum Cooperation (NNPC) and Warri Refining and Petrochemical Company (WRPC) accede to their request of conversion of casual staff to permanent staff among other salient demands, they will lead Itsekiri communities on a mother of all rallies against the companies to press home their demands.
Four Itsekiri host communities to NNPC, WRPC, Pipeline and Products Marketing Company (PPMC) and Nigeria Gas Company in Warri South Local Government Area, Aja-Etan, Ubeji, Ifie and Ijala-Ikenren, had demanded for the conversion of its indigenes working in the agencies as backup staff to full staff in the ongoing recruitment exercise.
That was part of a nine-point demand put forward by chairmen of the communities as well as INYC leaders and neighbouring ethnic nationalities’ youth leaders.
They stressed that the four host communities had skilled and educationally qualified persons, who could function effectively and add value to the NNPC’s services.
Addressing newsmen at Ubeji Town Hall in Warri South Local Government Area, on Thursday, leaders of the communities enjoined NNPC, WRPC and its subsidiaries agencies to urgently address their demands, claiming they have been neglected in the area of labour supply as well as provision of health, educational and infrastructural facilities over the years.
READ ALSO: Zamfara Guber Poll: Tribunal Relocates Sitting to Abuja, Approves Substituted Services on APC
The leaders are: Chairman of Aja-Etan Community, Billy Ekele, Chairman of Ubeji Community, Engr. Clement Erewa, Chairman of Ifie Community, Mr. Clifton Edema, represented by his vice, Mr. Austin Leleji and Chairman of Ijala-Ikenren Community, Prince Adolphus Tosanwumi.
The communities also demanded review of contracts being handled by indigenous contractors, saying the processes adopted in awarding them had led to friction between NNPC, WRPC and the indigenous contractors.
They noted that re-visitation of host community projects carried out by NNPC in the host communities should be re-introduced.
‘’Other demands from the host communities are clean-up of the environment, adequate funding of WRPC by its headquarters in order for it to carry out its obligations and avoidance of delay in contract/salary payment,” they said in a statement.
Comrade Oritseweyinmi Agbateyiniro, INYC president, while responding to questions from newsmen, said if NNPC, WRPC and its subsidiaries failed to yield to their demands, they would occupy the companies and stage what he described as “mother of all rallies” against NNPC and its subsidiaries
Others who spoke in solidarity with the four Itsekiri host communities included factional President of Ijaw Youth Council (IYC), Eric Omare, and President of Urhobo Youth Council, Festus Otesiri.
