A group, Pages Group International, PGI, yesterday, told the management of Sterling Oil Exploration and Energy Production Company Limited, SEEPCO, to desist from engaging Indians to undertake casual works that could be handled by indigenes of its host communities.
Speaking with newsmen on the development, President General of the group, Comrade Chukwuma Chukwuma, alleged that the company which operates in Ndokwa East and West Local Government Areas, Delta State had been “bringing in their Indian brothers to do casual works, treat them like expatriate and pay them very well while our people that are casual workers are being paid peanuts.
“They should send back their Indian brothers. They have been operating here for over 10 years and our pleas to the last three years for the company to employ our indigenes of Umusadege-Ogbe community as direct staff have fallen into deaf ears.”
Accusing SEEPCO of adopting a divide and rule tactic in its dealings with the communities, he alleged that the company had refused to sign and implement a Memorandum of Understanding, MOU with the Umusadege-Ogbe community since 2015.
Chukwuma said; “Since they came here, they have done nothing for our people. They have abandoned the 1.5-kilometre Alma-Assay and Utu-Obiofu roads which they promised to construct since 2015.
On this note, “What we are saying is that they should treat the host communities well. They should send their Indian brothers back home so that our people can do those jobs that they are capable of doing.”
