Chevron
Mr. Joseph Uwawah is the Secretary, Subcommittee on Inter-Governmental Affairs, Ugborodo community in Warri South-West Local Government Area of Delta State.
In this interview, he speaks on how the proposed 25 percent job cuts by Chevron would affect Ugborodo community.
By Urawayino Jeremiah
How is your committee working with Chevron to avert any crisis?
My committee has made phone calls and written letters to the Managing Director of Chevron and others concerned, requesting a meeting to discuss all the issues. Unfortunately, we have not gotten any response.
The essence of trying to reach the management of Chevron is to find a way out so that there will be no crisis. We want to see how we can help them achieve efficiency in this period of challenges in the oil sector with a view to guiding them in the cutting down of jobs and to avert the anticipated crisis. Since the firm clearly stated that the purpose for the 25 percent job cut is to reduce the cost of production, we would have loved to discuss the possibility of giving special consideration to indigenous staff who are closer to the place of operation because the cost of transportation and logistics is cheaper compared to people being flown in from other parts of the country.
How does the community leadership intend to address demands from the youths?
This is one of the major reasons we requested a meeting with Chevron so as to agree on a position that will be good for all stakeholders.
However, the youths have been demanding employment even before now. We are asking Chevron to employ more of the youths to balance the lopsided employment in the company. The amount Chevron spent on just flights and transport logistics alone are enough to pay the entire workforce. So, we believe that engaging more qualified youths from the community will save them huge costs.
But the management of Chevron has pleaded for support and understanding …
The plea by Chevron for support does not make any sense to the community because there is distrust already. The injustices created by Chevron in terms of employment, capacity building and contract benefits cannot be wished away.
How will the community manage agitations from the people since Chevron is complaining of downturn in business?
The different agitations of Ugborodo people can be contained if Chevron is ready to meet with the community leaders for a robust discussion. Ugborodo and other Itsekiri communities cannot be a target on these business challenges.
Aside from oil, what other ways is unemployment being addressed in Ugborodo?
Chevron must join hands with the community leaders on human capital development. There should be procurement of fishing trawlers for the communities. Skills acquisitions and entrepreneurship development is a key solution for curbing unemployment.
Chevron must change the grants given to students to a comprehensive scholarship. As we know, N100,000.00 given by Chevron for tertiary education yearly is not enough to even cater to basic educational needs. I urge them to borrow a leaf from the presidential amnesty scholarship by the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC.
We want Chevron and other government intervention agencies to consult agricultural experts to carry out various agricultural analysis and operations to reinvigorate the agricultural sector in the community.
However, we are aware of some crops that grow better over the years in the community but because of the type of farming facility, we think this will address unemployment within Ugborodo community. It will require experts to come in to identify the best crops that will grow better in Ugborodo community. When this is done, we can now think of establishing a mechanized farming settlement and a processing factory with funds from companies operating in Ugborodo, federal and state government intervention agencies. The settlement can accommodate 1000 indigenous workers including skilled and graduate workers. Such measures will automatically address youth restiveness curb unemployment and give the companies a better working environment.
