MOTION ON THE NEED TO CONSIDER THE EMPLOYMENT OF INDIGENOUS YOUTHS BY COMPANIES OPERATING IN AKWA IBOM STATE.

Rt. Hon. Aniekan Uko

THE HOUSE :

AWARE that the Nigeria Oil and Gas Industry Content Development Act, otherwise known as the Local Content Law, was enacted to promote increased participation of Nigerians in the Petroleum industry and to protect stakeholders in that sector against domination by foreign players.


FURTHER aware of the 2018 Presidential Order signed by the President titled: Planning and Execution of Projects, Promotion of Nigerian content in contracts and Science, Engineering and Technology, with direct Ministries, Departments and Agencies to promote Local Content by giving preferences to Nigerian Companies in the award of contracts, bids and projects.

RECALLS that the 6th Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly, in consideration of the plight of host communities in the hands of companies operating in the State, passed into law, a bill which sought to ensure that companies doing business in the State hire at least 10% of their senior workers and 70% of junior workers from among the indigenes of the State.

FURTHER recalls that in the aforementioned bill, it was stated that where the quota for indigenes of the State was not filled on account of non availability of qualified indigenes of the State, the company shall ensure that a reasonable effort was made within two years to supply such training locally or elsewhere to the indigenes of the State, in a joint venture Ministry in charge, so that after the training, the beneficiaries could be absorbed by the said company.

OBSERVES that recently theres is a growing agitation by indigenes of the State especially those where construction sites are located in their communities, which have cried out over the neglect and marginalisation of the locals during employment by these companies operating in the State.

CONCERNED that the recent plethora of kidnapping cases at construction sites in the State may not have been unconnected to this issue of flagrant flouting of the extant laws and regulations applicable to employment of indigenes by these companies.

FURTHER CONCERNED that the neglect of locally made equipments, goods and services in preference to imported ones and foreign expatriates and services by companies operating in the State is negatively affecting the economy of the State and further negates the patronage of the made - in - Nigeria mantra.

NOTES that in some civilised climes, for example the Government of Marharastra State in India, the State has a policy in place which ensures that local persons of the State get their due share in gainful employment arising from the growth in industrial activities.
Accordingly, all industrial enterprises are expected to ensure that of 50% supervisory staff and 80% of all employees are local persons.

APPRECIATES His Excellency Mr. Udom Gabriel Emmanuel on the current industrial revolution where about 13 industries and still counting have already been established in the State, with a view to giving the growing youth population the appropriate share in the economic benefits from industrial development and to eradicate unemployment amongst them.

COGNIZANT of the dire consequences of youth unemployment and attendant negative implications to the development strides of this administration if drastic action is not urgently taken.

RESOLVES TO :

(1) Urge all companies operating in the State to adhere strictly to all extant laws and regulations relating to the employment of indigenous persons.

(2) Urge the relevant Ministries to effectively monitor the extent of employment of Local persons by companies operating in the State.

(3) Mandate supervising ministries to ensure that companies sign and undertaking during contracts signing to abide by laws and regulations relating to the employment of indigenous persons.

I so move,

SPONSOR:
Rt. Hon. (Elder) Aniekan Uko
Member Representing Ibesikpo Asutan State Constituency - Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly.